Search Results (1,813)

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have emerged as a promising candidate for large-scale energy storage due to their inherent safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, manganese dioxide (MnO₂)-based cathodes, which are widely studied for ZIBs owing to their high theoretical capacity and low cost, face severe capacity fading issues that hinder the commercialization of ZIBs. This performance degradation mainly stems from the weak van der Waals forces between MnO₂ layers leading to structural collapse during repeated Zn²⁺ insertion and extraction; it is also exacerbated by irreversible Mn dissolution via Mn³⁺ disproportionation that depletes active materials, and further aggravated by dynamic electrolyte pH fluctuations promoting insulating zinc hydroxide sulfate (ZHS) formation to block ion diffusion channels. To address these interconnected challenges, in this study, a synergistic strategy was developed combining crystal engineering and pH buffer regulation. We synthesized three MnO₂ polymorphs (α-, δ-, γ-MnO₂), identified δ-MnO₂ with flower-like microspheres as optimal, and introduced sodium dihydrogen phosphate (NaH₂PO₄) as a pH buffer (stabilizing pH at 2.8 ± 0.2). The modified electrolyte improved δ-MnO₂ wettability (contact angle of 17.8° in NaH₂PO₄-modified electrolyte vs. 26.1° in base electrolyte) and reduced charge transfer resistance (Rct = 78.17 Ω), enabling the optimized cathode to retain 117.25 mAh g⁻¹ (82.16% retention) after 2500 cycles at 1 A g⁻¹. This work provides an effective strategy for stable MnO₂-based ZIBs, promoting their application in renewable energy storage. Full article

Salt stress is a major abiotic factor limiting crop productivity worldwide, as it disrupts plant growth, metabolism, and survival. In this study, we report that the genes PvPR10-2 and PvPR10-3 were significantly up-regulated in bean leaves and stems in response to combined salt and jasmonic acid (NaCl–JA) treatment. Foliar application of JA with salt induced physiological alterations, including stem growth inhibition, H₂O₂ accumulation, and activation of antioxidant enzymes. To investigate the role of PvPR10-3 in response to salt and phytohormones, we introduced this gene into Arabidopsis and found that its heterologous expression conferred salt tolerance to the transgenic lines. Interestingly, exogenous JA contributed to salt tolerance by reducing H₂O₂ levels, inducing ROS-scavenging enzymes, and promoting the accumulation of phenolic compounds and ABA. Furthermore, gene expression analysis of the transgenic lines revealed that PvPR10-3 expression under NaCl–JA stress is associated with the induction of JA-related genes like MYC2, JAZ2, JAZ11, and JAZ12, as well as SA-responsive genes, like ALD1 and TGA2, and two ABA-independent components DREB2A and ERD1, suggesting potential coordination between JA, ABA, and SA signaling in salt stress response. Additionally, key flowering regulators (FT, GI) were upregulated in transgenic lines under NaCl–JA treatment, suggesting a previously unexplored link between salt tolerance pathways and the regulation of flowering time. Taken together, our findings suggest a role of PvPR10-3 in enhancing salt stress tolerance and the involvement of exogenous JA in tolerance potentially by modulating ROS balance, hormone-associated gene expression, and protective secondary metabolites. Full article

The MADS-box transcription factors play essential roles in various processes of plant growth and development. Here, we identified 107 MADS-box genes in Osmanthus fragrans Lour. genome (OfMADS), encoding proteins ranging from 61 to 608 amino acids. Phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into five subfamilies: MIKC*, MIKCC, Mα, Mβ, and Mγ, with conserved motif architectures within subfamilies. Tandem and whole-genome duplications were identified as key drivers of OfMADS expansion. Cis-regulatory element analysis revealed enrichment for hormone response and developmental regulatory motifs, implicating roles in growth and flowering processes. Transcriptome dynamics across six floral developmental stages (bolting to petal shedding) uncovered 78 differentially expressed OfMADS genes, including 16 exhibiting flower-specific expressions. Integrated metabolome profiling demonstrated robust correlations between critical OfMADS regulators and scent metabolites. This nexus suggests a potential role of these OfMADS in regulating specialized metabolite biosynthesis pathways. Our multi-omics study provides insights into the regulatory hierarchy of OfMADS in coordinating floral morphogenesis and the accumulation of economically significant metabolites in O. fragrans. These findings establish a foundation for subsequent functional validation and molecular breeding of horticultural traits. Full article

This study aims to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying cyanogenic glycoside accumulation in flax. As an important oil and fiber crop, the nutritional value of flax is compromised by the toxicity of cyanogenic glycoside. To clarify the key genetic regulators and temporal patterns of cyanogenic glycoside biosynthesis, transcriptomic sequencing was performed on seeds from high- and low-cyanogenic glycoside flax varieties (‘MONTANA16’ and ‘Xilibai’) at three developmental stages: bud stage, full flowering stage, and capsule-setting stage. A total of 127.25 Gb of high-quality data was obtained, with an alignment rate exceeding 87.80%. We identified 31,623 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), which exhibited distinct variety- and stage-specific expression patterns. Principal component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical clustering demonstrated strong reproducibility among biological replicates and revealed the seed pod formation stage as the period with the most significant varietal differences, suggesting it may represent a critical regulatory window for cyanogenic glycoside synthesis. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that DEGs were primarily involved in metabolic processes (including secondary metabolism and carbohydrate metabolism), oxidoreductase activity, and transmembrane transport functions. Of these, the cytochrome P450 pathway was most significantly enriched at the full bloom stage (H2 vs. L2). A total of 15 LuCYP450 and 13 LuUGT85 family genes were identified, and their expression patterns were closely associated with cyanogenic glycoside accumulation: In high-cyanogenic varieties, LuCYP450-8 was continuously upregulated, and LuUGT85-12 was significantly activated during later stages. Conversely, in low-cyanogenic varieties, high expression of LuCYP450-2/14 may inhibit synthesis. These findings systematically reveal the genetic basis and temporal dynamics of cyanogenic glycoside biosynthesis in flax and highlight the seed pod formation stage as a decisive regulatory window for cyanogenic glycoside synthesis. This study provides new insights into the coordinated regulation of cyanogenic pathways and establishes a molecular foundation for breeding flax varieties with low CNG content without compromising agronomic traits. Full article

TCP transcription factors represent a crucial family of plant regulators that contribute significantly to growth and developmental processes. Although the TCP gene family has been extensively studied in various plant species, research on Chimonanthus praecox (wintersweet) remains limited. Here, we performed genome-wide identification and analysis of the TCP gene family in C. praecox and identified 22 CpTCP genes. We further systematically examined the associated physicochemical properties, evolutionary relationships, gene structures, and regulatory features. Analysis revealed that all CpTCP proteins possess a conserved TCP domain, and subcellular localization prediction indicated their localization in the nucleus. Promoter analysis revealed that multiple cis-elements are associated with abiotic stress responses and plant growth regulation. Further analysis revealed high CpTCP2 expression in the leaves and stamen, with significantly increased levels during flower senescence. CpTCP2 expression was upregulated in response to methyl jasmonate (MeJA), salicylic acid, abscisic acid, and shade. CpTCP2 overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in a reduced leaf area, delayed flowering, and increased rosette leaf numbers. Moreover, MeJA treatment accelerated leaf senescence in CpTCP2 transgenic Arabidopsis. These findings provide insights into the evolutionary characteristics of the TCP family in C. praecox, highlighting the functional role of CpTCP2 in regulating leaf development and flowering time in Arabidopsis, thereby offering valuable genetic resources for wintersweet molecular breeding. Full article

Lilac (Syringa spp.) is a widely cultivated ornamental plant prized for its fragrant aroma and attractive flower colors. However, the molecular mechanisms governing its flower pigmentation remain poorly understood. In this study, we performed integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses on purple (Syringa oblata) and white (Syringa oblata var. alba) lilacs at the P1 stage, the point of deepest pigmentation. Compared with W1, P1 has a total of 918 differentially expressed genes, including 614 up-regulated genes and 304 down-regulated genes. And S. oblata exhibited significant upregulation of key anthocyanin biosynthesis genes, including the rate-limiting enzyme gene ObDFR, ObF3’H and transcriptional regulators such as ObWPA, which encodes a WD40 repeat protein. This transcriptional activation was accompanied by a substantial accumulation of 27 anthocyanins, including Petunidin Chloride, Cyanidin Chloride, Delphinidin and so on, while the Petunidin-3-O-rutinoside, Petunidin-3-O-(6-O-p-coumaroyl)-glucoside and Malvidin-3-O-sambubioside-5-O-glucoside were only detected in S. oblata. Furthermore, ATAC-seq analysis revealed that, in comparison to white lilac, purple lilac exhibited 3522 and 805 genes with increased and decreased chromatin accessibility, respectively. Integrative analysis with the transcriptome identified 135 genes that were both more accessible and transcriptionally upregulated in purple lilac, including ObWPA, Ob0214386, and Ob0227194 which belong to WD40 members. Subsequent qRT-PCR validation confirmed ObWPA as the most significantly upregulated gene in purple lilac, a finding consistent with the specific chromatin accessibility detected in its promoter region. To validate its function, we knocked down ObWPA expression in purple lilac using Virus-Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS). This intervention resulted in a dramatic color shift from purple to white, concomitant with a significant decrease in key anthocyanin metabolites such as Cyanidin-3-(6-O-p-caffeoyl)-glucoside, Cyanidin Chloride, Pelargonidin, Cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside, Dihydrokaempferol, and Petunidin Chloride. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that ObWPA is an indispensable positive regulator of purple color formation in S. oblata. Full article

Maize is crucial for food, feed, and industrial materials. The seed purity directly affects yield and quality. Advancements in automation have led to the lightweight unmanned maize detasseling vehicle (UDV). To boost UDV’s efficiency, this paper proposes a dual-route and dual-mode adaptive ant colony optimization (DRDM-AACO) for the detasseling route planning in maize seed production fields with hybrid spatial constraints. A mathematical model is established based on a proposed projection method for male flower nodes. To improve the performance of the ACO, four innovative mechanisms are proposed: a dual-route preference based on the dynamic selection strategy to ensure the integrity of the route topology; a dynamic candidate set with the variable neighborhood search strategy to balance exploration and exploitation; a non-uniform initial pheromone allocation based on the principle of intra-row priority and inter-row inhibition, and direction-constrained adaptive dual-mode pheromone regulation through local penalty and global evaporation strategies to reduce intra-row turnback routes. Comparative experiments showed DRDM-AACO reduced the route by 6.2% compared to ACO variants, verifying its effectiveness. Finally, experiments with various sizes and actual farmland compared DRDM-AACO to other various algorithms. The route was shortened by 32%, confirming its practicality and superiority. Full article

The color of flowers constitutes one of the most significant ornamental characteristics in roses. Red pigmentation in rose flowers is generally controlled by the biosynthetic pathway of anthocyanins. In this study, the red petals from the rose cultivar ‘Silk Road’ (SR) and the white petals from its color mutant ‘Arctic Road’ (AR) were investigated. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were utilized to identify the crucial genes and metabolites associated with the biosynthesis of flavonoids. A total of 479 flavonoid- related metabolites and 39,201 genes were detected in the rose petals. Comparative analyses revealed significant differences in 277 metabolites and 2556 genes between the blooming flowers of AR and SR. The contents of 11 anthocyanins, 11 proanthocyanidins, as well as the expression levels of CHS, ANS, 3GT, COMT, and CCoAOMT differ significantly between the two cultivars, which may contribute to the formation of white petals in AR. Additionally, 5 GSTs, 4 ABCCs, and 8 MATEs were found to be downregulated in AR, potentially resulting in reduced sequestration of anthocyanins in petal vacuoles. Through comprehensive data analyses, the correlations between genes and metabolites associated with anthocyanin variation in rose petals were identified. The MYB gene (Chr1g0360311) may serve as a key regulator in anthocyanin biosynthesis. This study offers new perspectives on the specific genes and metabolites regulating petal pigmentation, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying flavonoid synthesis in roses. The candidate key genes associated with anthocyanin biosynthesis and sequestration could serve as important genetic resources for developing ornamental plant varieties with specific pigmentation traits. Full article

β-D-xylosidases (BXLs) are pivotal enzymes in xylan degradation, playing essential roles in plant development and stress responses. In this study, we identified 29 GmBXL genes in soybean through homolog alignment. Phylogenetic analysis classified these genes into three groups, with Group III being legume-specific. The GmBXLs are unevenly distributed across 15 chromosomes, with their expansion driven by both tandem and segmental duplications. Conserved motif and domain analyses revealed functional conservation, particularly in family 3 of glycoside hydrolase domains. Promoter regions of GmBXLs are enriched with hormone-responsive and stress-related cis-elements, indicating their involvement in diverse biological processes. Tissue-specific expression analysis revealed differential GmBXLs expression across leaves, roots, flowers, and seeds, with GmBXL13 and GmBXL26 exhibiting notably high transcript levels in pods and seeds. Under salt stress, 26 GmBXLs exhibited significant expression changes, with 20 genes up-regulated in both leaves and roots, highlighting their roles in salt tolerance. These findings enhance our understanding of the evolutionary and functional characteristics of GmBXLs, providing valuable insights for molecular breeding of salt-tolerant soybean varieties. Full article

The MADS-box gene family is a large family of transcription factors, and its members are widely distributed in the plant kingdom. Members of this family are well known to be crucial regulators of many biological processes and environmental responses. In this study, bioinformatics methods were employed to analyze the MADS-box gene family members in the common oat, focusing on their phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, conserved motifs, evolutionary relationships, promoter analysis and responses to photoperiod and abiotic stress. A total of 175 MADS-box genes were detected in Avena sativa, which were categorized into Type I and Type II. Type II members exhibited more complex gene structures, while each subfamily showed similar gene structures and motifs. Evolutionary analysis identified 138 segmental duplication events and revealed strong syntenic conservation with Triticum aestivum (337 collinear gene pairs). Four categories of cis-elements were detected in the promoter regions of the AsMADS-box genes. qRT-PCR analysis revealed that the expression of six Type II AsMADS-box genes varied in response to ABA, GA, drought and salt. Furthermore, 23 AsMADS-box members were potentially associated with heading date when the common oat plants were exposed to different photoperiod conditions. The overexpression of chr4D_AsMADS95 in Arabidopsis thaliana led to early flowering under long-day and short-day photoperiod conditions, likely associated with a significant increase in the expression levels of flowering-related genes in transgenic plants. These findings will provide useful information for future studies on stress responses and increase our understanding of the network that regulates flowering in the common oat. Full article

Lycoris longituba produces a single flower bearing six tepals. The double-petaled phenotype of L. longituba has gained significant interest in China due to its ornamental and commercial value in tourism industries. This double-petal phenotype, characterized by stamen petalization, shows improved esthetic characteristics compared with conventional single-petal form. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this floral trait remain largely undefined. In this study, RNA-based comparative transcriptomic analysis was performed between single- and double-petaled flowers of L. longituba at the fully opened flower stage. Approximately 13,848 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified (6528 upregulated and 7320 downregulated genes). Functional annotation through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses revealed several DEGs potentially involved in double-petal development. Six candidate genes, including the hub genes LlbHLH49, LlNAC1, LlSEP, LlTIFY, and LlAGL11, were identified based on DEG functional annotation and weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Transcription factors responsive to phytohormonal signaling were found to play a pivotal role in modulating double-petal development. Specifically, 123 DEGs were involved in phytohormone biosynthesis and signal transduction pathways, including those associated with auxin, cytokinin, gibberellin, ethylene, brassinosteroid, and jasmonic acid. Moreover, 521 transcription factors (TFs) were identified, including members of the MYB, WRKY, AP2/ERF, and MADS-box families. These results improve the current understanding of the genetic regulation of the double tepal trait in L. longituba and offer a base for future molecular breeding strategies to enhance ornamental characteristics. Full article

N⁶-methyladenosine (m⁶A), the most abundant internal modification in eukaryotic mRNA, regulates gene expression by modulating mRNA metabolism. Demethylases (“erasers”) specifically remove these m⁶A marks. In mammals, FTO and ALKBH5 (ALKBH family members) are key erasers regulating metabolism, reproduction, and development. Notably, heterologous expression of human FTO in rice and potato significantly increase yield. In contrast, research on plant m⁶A demethylases is still in its infancy, though several ALKBH family members have been identified. These enzymes play crucial roles in regulating plant growth and development, as well as in mediating stress responses, highlighting their considerable potential in enhancing crop yield and improving agronomic traits. This review summarizes current knowledge on identified m⁶A demethylases, conducts a phylogenetic analysis of the ALKBH family across representative plant species, and elaborates on the roles of these enzymes in key biological processes such as flowering time regulation, fruit ripening, male fertility, and responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. Further research on plant RNA m⁶A demethylases will deepen our understanding of RNA epigenetic regulatory mechanisms, uncover valuable genetic resources, and ultimately facilitate the breeding of high-yielding, high-quality crop varieties. Full article

A coordinated and generalized plant response to adverse environmental factors largely depends on the proper and finely-tuned regulation of intercellular transport via plasmodesmata (PD). However, the knowledge of the whole network of PD-controlling mechanisms is far from complete. Earlier, a cellular factor, Kunitz peptidase inhibitor-like protein (KPILP), that affects PD gating and plays a proviral role, was identified in Nicotiana benthamiana plants. Here we characterized its homolog from N. tabacum, NtKPILP, which is hardly detectable in leaves of intact plants, in contrast to roots, flowers and seeds where NtKPILP is highly expressed. However, its mRNA accumulation in leaves increases in response to various stresses, including viral infection. NtKPILP was demonstrated to affect chloroplast functioning. Using the virus-induced gene silencing approach, we have shown that NtKPILP downregulation negatively affects intercellular transport of macromolecules, inducing callose deposition at PD and suppressing beta-1,3-glucanase mRNA accumulation. Together, the obtained results indicate that NtKPILP is a viral infection-responsive cellular factor that is involved in PD permeability regulation, sharing thus the features of KPILPs from other Nicotiana species. Full article

JmjC domain proteins play crucial roles in plant growth and development, regulation of epigenetic processes, flowering control, and stress defence. However, these proteins have not been systematically identified or characterised in tomato. Here, we performed a genome-wide identification of JmjC domain-containing genes (JMJ family) in tomato and identified 23 SlJMJ genes within the tomato genome. Expression analysis indicated that SlJMJ15 was responsive to drought stress, prompting us to investigate its functional role in tomato plants. We found that SlJMJ15-RNAi lines displayed a severe dwarf phenotype, whereas SlJMJ15-overexpression lines exhibited increased drought sensitivity compared to wild-type plants, indicating that SlJMJ15 negatively regulates drought tolerance in tomatoes. Further investigation suggests that SlJMJ15 may reduce drought tolerance in tomatoes by modulating the expression of key genes involved in abscisic acid signalling pathways through its demethylation activity. This study deepens our understanding of the roles of SlJMJ family genes in tomato growth and abiotic stress responses, laying the foundation for developing strategies to improve drought stress tolerance in tomatoes. Full article

Plant sucrose transporters (SUTs) are essential membrane proteins that mediate sucrose phloem loading in source tissues and unloading in sink tissues. In addition to their role in carbohydrate partitioning, SUTs have been implicated in plant responses to both biotic and abiotic stresses. Our previous research demonstrated that silencing StSUT2 in potatoes (Solanum tuberosum) affects plant growth, flowering time, and tuber yield, with transcriptomic analysis suggesting its involvement in cell wall metabolic pathways. In this study, we further investigated the effects of StSUT2 inhibition on the cell wall structure and biotic stress response of potatoes. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the tuber cell wall thickness of the StSUT2 RNA interference (RNAi) line RNAi-2 was reduced by 7.8%, and the intercellular space was increased by 214% compared with the wild-type plants. Biochemical analyses showed that StSUT2 silencing significantly decreased cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin contents in both the leaves and tubers, e.g., tuber cellulose reduced by up to 20.1%, while pectin levels remained unaffected, with distinct effects on source leaves and sink tubers’ organs. Additionally, activities of cellulase, xyloglucan glycosyltransferase/hydrolase XTH, and polygalacturonase were elevated in RNAi lines, e.g., leaf cellulase increased by 43.3%, whereas the pectinase activity was unchanged. Pathogen inoculation assays demonstrated that StSUT2 RNAi lines were more susceptible to Ralstonia solanacearum bacterial wilt and Fusarium sulphureum dry rot, showing larger leaf lesions, wider tuber necrotic plaques, and severe seedling wilting. These findings demonstrate that silencing StSUT2 regulates the cell wall structure, composition, and the activity of cell wall-degrading enzymes, thereby reducing the plant’s resistance to fungal and bacterial pathogens. Full article