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14 pages, 1570 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Positive Chemotaxis of the Entomopathogenic Nematode Steinernema australe (Panagrolaimorpha: Steinenematidae) towards High-Bush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) Root Volatiles

by Ricardo Ceballos, Rubén Palma-Millanao, Patricia D. Navarro, Julio Urzúa and Juan Alveal

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(13), 10536; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241310536 - 23 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1389

Abstract

The foraging behavior of the infective juveniles (IJs) of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) relies on host-derived compounds, but in a tri-trophic context, herbivore-induced root volatiles act as signals enhancing the biological control of insect pests by recruiting EPNs. In southern Chile, the EPN Steinernema [...] Read more.

The foraging behavior of the infective juveniles (IJs) of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) relies on host-derived compounds, but in a tri-trophic context, herbivore-induced root volatiles act as signals enhancing the biological control of insect pests by recruiting EPNs. In southern Chile, the EPN Steinernema australe exhibits the potential to control the raspberry weevil, Aegorhinus superciliosus, a key pest of blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum. However, there is no information on the quality of the blueberry root volatile plume or the S. australe response to these chemicals as putative attractants. Here, we describe the root volatile profile of blueberries and the chemotaxis behavior of S. australe towards the volatiles identified from Vaccinium corymbosum roots, infested or uninfested with A. superciliosus larvae. Among others, we found linalool, α-terpineol, limonene, eucalyptol, 2-carene, 1-nonine, 10-undecyn-1-ol, and methyl salicylate in root volatiles and, depending on the level of the emissions, they were selected for bioassays. In the dose–response tests, S. australe was attracted to all five tested concentrations of methyl salicylate, 1-nonine, α-terpineol, and 2-carene, as well as to 100 µg mL⁻¹ of 10-undecyn-1-ol, 0.1 and 100 µg mL⁻¹ of linalool, and 100 µg mL⁻¹ of limonene, whereas eucalyptol elicited no attraction or repellency. These results suggest that some volatiles released from damaged roots attract S. australe and may have implications for the biocontrol of subterranean pests. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Secondary Metabolites in Plant Defence against Abiotic and Biotic Stresses 2.0)

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23 pages, 2254 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of High Light Intensity and Low Temperature on the Growth and Phenylpropanoid Profile of Azolla filiculoides

by Sara Cannavò, Agnese Bertoldi, Maria Cristina Valeri, Francesco Damiani, Lara Reale, Federico Brilli and Francesco Paolocci

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(10), 8554; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24108554 - 10 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1975

Abstract

Exposure to high light intensity (HL) and cold treatment (CT) induces reddish pigmentation in Azolla filiculoides, an aquatic fern. Nevertheless, how these conditions, alone or in combination, influence Azolla growth and pigment synthesis remains to be fully elucidated. Likewise, the regulatory network [...] Read more.

Exposure to high light intensity (HL) and cold treatment (CT) induces reddish pigmentation in Azolla filiculoides, an aquatic fern. Nevertheless, how these conditions, alone or in combination, influence Azolla growth and pigment synthesis remains to be fully elucidated. Likewise, the regulatory network underpinning the accumulation of flavonoids in ferns is still unclear. Here, we grew A. filiculoides under HL and/or CT conditions for 20 days and evaluated the biomass doubling time, relative growth rate, photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic pigment contents, and photosynthetic efficiency by chlorophyll fluorescence measurements. Furthermore, from the A. filiculoides genome, we mined the homologs of MYB, bHLH, and WDR genes, which form the MBW flavonoid regulatory complex in higher plants, to investigate their expression by qRT-PCR. We report that A. filiculoides optimizes photosynthesis at lower light intensities, regardless of the temperature. In addition, we show that CT does not severely hamper Azolla growth, although it causes the onset of photoinhibition. Coupling CT with HL stimulates the accumulation of flavonoids, which likely prevents irreversible photoinhibition-induced damage. Although our data do not support the formation of MBW complexes, we identified candidate MYB and bHLH regulators of flavonoids. Overall, the present findings are of fundamental and pragmatic relevance to Azolla’s biology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Secondary Metabolites in Plant Defence against Abiotic and Biotic Stresses 2.0)

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19 pages, 4147 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Proteomic Analysis Reveals a Critical Role of the Glycosyl Hydrolase 17 Protein in Panax ginseng Leaves under Salt Stress

by Ju-Young Jung, Cheol Woo Min, Jeong Woo Jang, Ravi Gupta, Ji-Hyun Kim, Young-Hun Kim, Sung Won Cho, Young Hun Song, Ick-Hyun Jo, Randeep Rakwal, Yu-Jin Kim and Sun Tae Kim

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3693; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043693 - 12 Feb 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1666

Abstract

Ginseng, an important crop in East Asia, exhibits multiple medicinal and nutritional benefits because of the presence of ginsenosides. On the other hand, the ginseng yield is severely affected by abiotic stressors, particularly salinity, which reduces yield and quality. Therefore, efforts are needed [...] Read more.

Ginseng, an important crop in East Asia, exhibits multiple medicinal and nutritional benefits because of the presence of ginsenosides. On the other hand, the ginseng yield is severely affected by abiotic stressors, particularly salinity, which reduces yield and quality. Therefore, efforts are needed to improve the ginseng yield during salinity stress, but salinity stress-induced changes in ginseng are poorly understood, particularly at the proteome-wide level. In this study, we report the comparative proteome profiles of ginseng leaves at four different time points (mock, 24, 72, and 96 h) using a label-free quantitative proteome approach. Of the 2484 proteins identified, 468 were salt-responsive. In particular, glycosyl hydrolase 17 (PgGH17), catalase-peroxidase 2, voltage-gated potassium channel subunit beta-2, fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase class 1, and chlorophyll a-b binding protein accumulated in ginseng leaves in response to salt stress. The heterologous expression of PgGH17 in Arabidopsis thaliana improved the salt tolerance of transgenic lines without compromising plant growth. Overall, this study uncovers the salt-induced changes in ginseng leaves at the proteome level and highlights the critical role of PgGH17 in salt stress tolerance in ginseng. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Secondary Metabolites in Plant Defence against Abiotic and Biotic Stresses 2.0)

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15 pages, 13963 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Characterization and Analysis of bHLH Transcription Factors Related to Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Cinnamomum camphora (‘Gantong 1’)

by Xue Gong, Tengfei Shen, Xiuqi Li, Hanbin Lin, Caihui Chen, Huihu Li, Zhaoxiang Wu, Qiaoli Liu, Meng Xu, Bo Zhang and Yongda Zhong

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(4), 3498; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24043498 - 9 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2356

Abstract

Cinnamomum camphora is one of the most commonly used tree species in landscaping. Improving its ornamental traits, particularly bark and leaf colors, is one of the key breeding goals. The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) are crucial in controlling anthocyanin biosynthesis in many [...] Read more.

Cinnamomum camphora is one of the most commonly used tree species in landscaping. Improving its ornamental traits, particularly bark and leaf colors, is one of the key breeding goals. The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs) are crucial in controlling anthocyanin biosynthesis in many plants. However, their role in C. camphora remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified 150 bHLH TFs (CcbHLHs) using natural mutant C. camphora ‘Gantong 1’, which has unusual bark and leaf colors. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 150 CcbHLHs were divided into 26 subfamilies which shared similar gene structures and conserved motifs. According to the protein homology analysis, we identified four candidate CcbHLHs that were highly conserved compared to the TT8 protein in A. thaliana. These TFs are potentially involved in anthocyanin biosynthesis in C. camphora. RNA-seq analysis revealed specific expression patterns of CcbHLHs in different tissue types. Furthermore, we verified expression patterns of seven CcbHLHs (CcbHLH001, CcbHLH015, CcbHLH017, CcbHLH022, CcbHLH101, CcbHLH118, and CcbHLH134) in various tissue types at different growth stages using qRT-PCR. This study opens a new avenue for subsequent research on anthocyanin biosynthesis regulated by CcbHLH TFs in C. camphora. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Secondary Metabolites in Plant Defence against Abiotic and Biotic Stresses 2.0)

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14 pages, 1246 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Melanins from the Lichens Lobaria pulmonaria and Lobaria retigera as Eco-Friendly Adsorbents of Synthetic Dyes

by Anna Rassabina, Venera Khabibrakhmanova, Vasily Babaev, Amina Daminova and Farida Minibayeva

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(24), 15605; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232415605 - 9 Dec 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1201

Abstract

Synthetic dyes are widely used in the industry; they are chemically stable, difficult to neutralize, and therefore they are a threat to the environment when released into wastewaters. The dyes have a significant impact on plant performance by impairing photosynthesis, inhibiting growth, and [...] Read more.

Synthetic dyes are widely used in the industry; they are chemically stable, difficult to neutralize, and therefore they are a threat to the environment when released into wastewaters. The dyes have a significant impact on plant performance by impairing photosynthesis, inhibiting growth, and entering the food chain and may finally result in the toxicity, mutagenicity and carcinogenicity of food products. Implementation of the dark piment melanin for the adsorption of the synthetic dyes is a new ecologically friendly approach for bioremediation. The aim of the present work was to study the physico-chemical characteristics of melanins from the lichens Lobaria pulmonaria and Lobaria retigera, analyze their adsorption/desorption capacities towards synthetic dyes, and assess the capacity of melanins to mitigate toxicity of the dyes for a common soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis. Unique chelating properties of melanins determine the perspectives of the use of these high molecular weight polymers for detoxification of xenobiotics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Secondary Metabolites in Plant Defence against Abiotic and Biotic Stresses 2.0)

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17 pages, 1770 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Stress Signals and Ib-rolB/C Overexpression on Secondary Metabolite Biosynthesis in Cell Cultures of Ipomoea batatas

by Elena A. Vasyutkina, Yulia A. Yugay, Valeria P. Grigorchuk, Olga V. Grishchenko, Maria R. Sorokina, Yulia L. Yaroshenko, Olesya D. Kudinova, Varvara D. Stepochkina, Victor P. Bulgakov and Yury N. Shkryl

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(23), 15100; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232315100 - 1 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1690

Abstract

Ipomoea batatas is a vital root crop and a source of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (CQAs) with potential health-promoting benefits. As a naturally transgenic plant, I. batatas contains cellular T-DNA (cT-DNA) sequence homologs of the Agrobacterium rhizogenes open reading frame (ORF)14, ORF17n, rooting locus [...] Read more.

Ipomoea batatas is a vital root crop and a source of caffeoylquinic acid derivatives (CQAs) with potential health-promoting benefits. As a naturally transgenic plant, I. batatas contains cellular T-DNA (cT-DNA) sequence homologs of the Agrobacterium rhizogenes open reading frame (ORF)14, ORF17n, rooting locus (Rol)B/RolC, ORF13, and ORF18/ORF17n of unknown function. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of abiotic stresses (temperature, ultraviolet, and light) and chemical elicitors (methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, and sodium nitroprusside) on the biosynthesis of CQAs and cT-DNA gene expression in I. batatas cell culture as a model system. Among all the applied treatments, ultraviolet irradiation, methyl jasmonate, and salicylic acid caused the maximal accumulation of secondary compounds. We also discovered that I. batatas cT-DNA genes were not expressed in cell culture, and the studied conditions weakly affected their transcriptional levels. However, the Ib-rolB/C gene expressed under the strong 35S CaMV promoter increased the CQAs content by 1.5–1.9-fold. Overall, our results show that cT-DNA-encoded transgenes are not involved in stress- and chemical elicitor-induced CQAs accumulation in cell cultures of I. batatas. Nevertheless, overaccumulation of RolB/RolC transcripts potentiates the secondary metabolism of sweet potatoes through a currently unknown mechanism. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms linked with CQAs biosynthesis in cell culture of naturally transgenic food crops, i.e., sweet potato. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Secondary Metabolites in Plant Defence against Abiotic and Biotic Stresses 2.0)

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18 pages, 6445 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Scale Identification, Classification, and Expression Profiling of MYB Transcription Factor Genes in Cinnamomum camphora

by Xiaoyue Luan, Wenlin Xu, Jiaqi Zhang, Tengfei Shen, Caihui Chen, Mengli Xi, Yongda Zhong and Meng Xu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(22), 14279; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232214279 - 18 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1498

Abstract

The camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl.) is the representative species of subtropical evergreen broadleaved forests in eastern Asia and an important raw material for essential oil production worldwide. Although MYBs have been comprehensively characterized and their functions have been partially resolved [...] Read more.

The camphor tree (Cinnamomum camphora (L.) Presl.) is the representative species of subtropical evergreen broadleaved forests in eastern Asia and an important raw material for essential oil production worldwide. Although MYBs have been comprehensively characterized and their functions have been partially resolved in many plants, it has not been explored in C. camphora. In this study, 121 CcMYBs were identified on 12 chromosomes in the whole genome of C. camphora and found that CcMYBs were mainly expanded by segmental duplication. They were divided into 28 subgroups based on phylogenetic analysis and gene structural characteristics. In the promoter regions, numerous cis-acting elements were related to biological processes. Analysis of RNA sequencing data from seven tissues showed that CcMYBs exhibited different expression profiles, suggesting that they have various roles in camphor tree development. In addition, combined with the correlation analysis of structural genes in the flavonoid synthesis pathway, we identified CcMYBs from three subgroups that might be related to the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. This study systematically analyzed CcMYBs in C. camphora, which will set the stage for subsequent research on the functions of CcMYBs during their lifetime and provide valuable insights for the genetic improvement of camphor trees. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Secondary Metabolites in Plant Defence against Abiotic and Biotic Stresses 2.0)

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Review

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12 pages, 1578 KiB

Open AccessReview

Cyanogenesis, a Plant Defence Strategy against Herbivores

by Marta Boter and Isabel Diaz

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(8), 6982; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24086982 - 10 Apr 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2076

Abstract

Plants and phytophagous arthropods have coevolved in a long battle for survival. Plants respond to phytophagous feeders by producing a battery of antiherbivore chemical defences, while herbivores try to adapt to their hosts by attenuating the toxic effect of the defence compounds. Cyanogenic [...] Read more.

Plants and phytophagous arthropods have coevolved in a long battle for survival. Plants respond to phytophagous feeders by producing a battery of antiherbivore chemical defences, while herbivores try to adapt to their hosts by attenuating the toxic effect of the defence compounds. Cyanogenic glucosides are a widespread group of defence chemicals that come from cyanogenic plants. Among the non-cyanogenic ones, the Brassicaceae family has evolved an alternative cyanogenic pathway to produce cyanohydrin as a way to expand defences. When a plant tissue is disrupted by an herbivore attack, cyanogenic substrates are brought into contact with degrading enzymes that cause the release of toxic hydrogen cyanide and derived carbonyl compounds. In this review, we focus our attention on the plant metabolic pathways linked to cyanogenesis to generate cyanide. It also highlights the role of cyanogenesis as a key defence mechanism of plants to fight against herbivore arthropods, and we discuss the potential of cyanogenesis-derived molecules as alternative strategies for pest control. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Secondary Metabolites in Plant Defence against Abiotic and Biotic Stresses 2.0)

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