Search Results (17)

Glycine soja, the ancestor of cultivated soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.], is an important genetic resource for soybean improvement and a National Grade II Key Protected Wild Annual Plant in China. Understanding its intra- and interspecific interactions in natural communities is critical for effective conservation, yet these dynamics remain poorly characterized in field settings. This study aims to characterize these interactions within herbaceous communities, providing insights to optimize the management of G. soja populations and conservation reserves. We surveyed twenty natural G. soja communities and revealed the following: (1) G. soja exhibited stronger intraspecific than interspecific competition. Spatial patterning among morphotypes and their proportional displacement provided direct evidence of intraspecific interactions within G. soja populations. (2) The annual associated plant group exhibited coexistence mechanisms similar to G. soja, characterized by stronger intragroup competition relative to the perennial group, which conversely displayed stronger intergroup competition. (3) A significant negative correlation existed between perennials and annuals. Perennials posed a greater threat to G. soja than annuals via distinct threat mechanisms: while annuals suppressed G. soja primarily through proportional dominance in species number, perennials reduced G. soja density by leveraging G. soja’s tendency toward stronger intraspecific competition. (4) G. soja exhibited intraspecific niche differentiation among morphotypes defined by functional traits (leaf shape, leaf size, and plant height), where morphological similarity correlated with niche overlap. Extreme morphotypes followed a bimodal pattern, with intermediate forms acting as ecological buffers, thereby enhancing adaptation to heterogeneous environments. This study yields important implications for effective in situ conservation, requiring the mediation of the trade-off between intra- and interspecific competition. Optimal strategies should either maintain moderately open communities accessible to humans and grazing animals, thereby allowing residual associated plants to mitigate excessive intraspecific competition in G. soja while reducing intense interspecific competition, or employ artificial interventions in closed nature reserves to prevent excessive intra- and interspecific competitive exclusion of G. soja. Full article

Wild soybean (Glycine soja), as the wild ancestor of cultivated soybean, serves as a rich reservoir of phytochemicals with significant potential in functional food applications and chemoprevention. However, its metabolic characteristics and health benefits remain to be systematically elucidated. In this study, non-targeted metabolomics technology was employed, in conjunction with network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis, to systematically investigate the metabolic differences between wild soybean seeds from three distinct ecological regions and cultivated soybean seeds. Metabolomic profiling revealed the unique metabolic characteristics of wild soybean, identifying 124 significantly upregulated metabolites and 7 unique compounds, with the most notable enrichment in flavonoids and prunolides. Network pharmacology analysis indicated that 22 key metabolites in wild soybeans were associated with 503 pan-cancer targets (covering breast, lung, and colorectal cancers), primarily regulating pathways related to “cancer” and “lipids and atherosclerosis.” Molecular docking experiments further confirmed the stable binding affinity of key bioactive components, including quercetin and L-arginine, with core targets such as TP53, TNF, EGFR, IL1B, and JUN. These findings elucidate the unique phytochemical profile of wild soybean and its potential multi-target chemopreventive mechanisms, providing theoretical support for developing it as a natural chemopreventive agent. Full article

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is grown worldwide to obtain edible oil, livestock feed, and biodiesel. However, drought and salt stress are becoming serious challenges to global soybean cultivation as they retard the growth of soybean plants and cause significant yield losses. Voltage-dependent anion-selective channel (VDAC) proteins are well-known for their role in drought and salt tolerance in crop plants. In this study, we identified 111 putative VDAC genes randomly distributed in genomes of 14 plant species, including cultivated soybean (Glycine max) and wild soybean (Glycine soja). The comparative phylogenetic studies classified these genes into six different clades and found the highest structural similarities among VDAC genes of G. max and G. soja. From the conserved domain database, porin-3 (PF01459) was found to be the conserved domain in all VDAC proteins. Furthermore, gene annotation studies revealed the role of GmaVDAC proteins in voltage-gated anion channel activity. These proteins were also found to interact with other proteins, especially mitochondrial receptors. A total of 103 miRNAs were predicted to target fifteen GmaVDAC genes. In G. max, these genes were found to be segmentally duplicated and randomly distributed on twelve chromosomes. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the GmaVDAC18.2 gene showed overexpression in root nodules, whereas the GmaVDAC9.1, GmaVDAC18.1, and GmaVDAC18.2 genes showed overexpression under drought and salt stress conditions. Full article

Background: Polyphenol oxidases (PPOs) form a multigene family that is widely distributed in plants, animals, and insects. To date, PPOs have been identified in plants such as Populus L. and Solanum tuberosum L., but studies on PPOs in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) and wild soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. and Zucc.) remain limited. Methods: To clarify the nature, structure, evolution, expression pattern, and interaction network of PPOs in these plants, we performed bioinformatics analysis and evaluated the expression patterns of PPOs in soybean and wild soybean throughout the growth period and under salt stress. Results: We identified 17 and 15 genes belonging to the PPO family. These genes were distributed across chromosomes 7 and 6 and could be divided into three groups. Most of these genes only contained one coding sequence (CDS), and their gene structure, conserved motifs, and 3D structures were very similar. Although there were a few intraspecies gene duplications, 75 gene replication pairs between soybean and wild soybean were detected. A Ka/Ks analysis showed that the PPOs in these plants were mainly subjected to purity selection. Moreover, the expression of the PPO genes varied greatly during different stages of the growth period and under salt stress, showing high temporal and spatial specificity. The protein interaction networks of these genes appeared to be quite distinct. Through the interaction analysis of the candidate gene GmPPO2 selected under salt stress, Glyma.07G059000, Glyma.10G279000, and Glyma.03G167900 were identified as the candidate genes regulating salt stress tolerance in soybean. Conclusions: These findings provide a foundation for further research on the evolution of soybean and wild soybean, as well as the functions of the PPO gene family. Full article

The soybean aphid, Aphis glycines Matsumura, 1917, is a crucial soybean pest. Cultivated soybean, Glycine max (Carl von Linné) Elmer Drew Merrill, 1917, and wild soybean, Glycine soja Philipp Franz von Siebold & Joseph Gerhard Zuccarini, 1843, are summer hosts of A. glycines. In this study, the development, reproduction, and morphogenesis of A. glycines fed wild soybean (AgFW) were studied at different temperatures and photoperiods. The data were compared with that of A. glycines fed soybean (AgFS). At 20–29 °C, the adult lifespan of the first–third-generation AgFW was shorter than or equal to that of AgFS. Significant differences existed in the adult fecundity and intrinsic rate of increase between AgFW and AgFS. At a 10L:14D h photoperiod, males of AgFW were deposited earlier than, or as early as, males of AgFS. At 17 °C, the gynoparae of AgFW were deposited in proportions greater than or equal to those of AgFS. Based on these results, we concluded that the adaptability of AgFW and AgFS to temperature and photoperiod significantly differs. It is important to understand the life cycle of A. glycines in Harbin, northeast China, and formulate an integrated pest management strategy for A. glycines in the region. Full article

Wild soybean (Glycine soja L.), drought-tolerant cultivar Tiefeng 31 (Glycine max L.), and drought-sensitive cultivar Fendou 93 (Glycine max L.) were used as materials to investigate the drought tolerance mechanism after 72 h 2.5 M PEG 8000 (osmotic potential −0.54 MPa)-simulated drought stress at the seedling stage. The results indicated that the leaves of the G. soja did not wilt under drought stress. However, both the drought-tolerant and drought-sensitive cultivated soybean cultivars experienced varying degrees of leaf wilt. Notably, the drought-sensitive cultivated soybean cultivars exhibited severe leaf wilt after the drought stress. Drought stress was determined to have a significant impact on the dry matter of the above-ground part of the drought-sensitive cultivar Fendou 93, followed by the drought-tolerant cultivar Tiefeng 31, with the lowest reduction observed in G. soja. Furthermore, the presence of drought stress resulted in the closure of leaf stomata. G. soja exhibited the highest proportion of stomatal opening per unit area, followed by the drought-tolerant cultivar Tiefeng 31, while the drought-sensitive cultivar Fendou 93 displayed the lowest percentage. Photosynthesis-related indexes, including photosynthetic rate, intercellular CO₂, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance, decreased in Fendou 93 and Tiefeng 31 after drought stress, but increased in G. soja. In terms of the antioxidant scavenging system, lower accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) was observed in G. soja and Tiefeng 31, along with higher activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD, EC 1.15.1.1) and catalase (CAT, EC 1.11.1.6) to counteract excess reactive oxygen species and maintain cell membrane integrity. In contrast, the drought-sensitive cultivar Fendou 93 had higher MDA content and higher activities of ascorbate peroxidase (APX, EC 1.11.1.11) and peroxidase (POD, 1.11.1.7). G. soja and Tiefeng 31 also exhibited less accumulation of osmolytes, including soluble sugar, soluble protein, and free proline content. The activities of δ-OAT, ProDH, and P5CS, key enzymes in proline anabolism, showed an initial increase under drought stress, followed by a decrease, and then an increase again at the end of drought stress in G. soja. Before drought stress, Tiefeng 31 had higher activities of ProDH and P5CS, which decreased with prolonged drought stress. Fendou 93 experienced an increase in the activities of δ-OAT, ProDH, and P5CS under drought stress. The δ-OAT gene expression levels were up-regulated in all three germplasms. The expression levels of the P5CS gene in Fendou 93 and Tiefeng 31 were down-regulated, while G. soja showed no significant change. The expression of the P5CR gene and ProDH gene was down-regulated in Fendou 93 and Tiefeng 31, but up-regulated in G. soja. This indicates that proline content is regulated at both the transcription and translation levels. Full article

Charcoal rot caused by the fungal pathogen Macrophomina phaseolina (Tassi) Goid is one of various devastating soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) diseases, which can severely reduce crop yield. The investigation into the genetic potential for charcoal rot resistance of wild soybean (Glycine soja) accessions will enrich our understanding of the impact of soybean domestication on disease resistance; moreover, the identified charcoal rot-resistant lines can be used to improve soybean resistance to charcoal rot. The objective of this study was to evaluate the resistance of wild soybean accessions to M. phaseolina at the seedling stage and thereby select the disease-resistant lines. The results show that the fungal pathogen infection reduced the growth of the root and hypocotyl in most G. soja accessions. The accession PI 507794 displayed the highest level of resistance response to M. phaseolina infection among the tested wild soybean accessions, while PI 487431 and PI 483660B were susceptible to charcoal rot in terms of the reduction in root and hypocotyl growth. The mean values of the root and hypocotyl parameters in PI 507794 were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of PI 487431 and PI 483460B. A analysis of the resistance of wild soybean accessions to M. phaseolina using the root and hypocotyl as the assessment parameters at the early seedling stage provides an alternative way to rapidly identify potential resistant genotypes and facilitate breeding for soybean resistance to charcoal rot. Full article

The commercial cultivation of herbicide-resistant (HR) transgenic soybeans (Glycine max L. Merr.) raises great concern that transgenes may introgress into wild soybeans (Glycine soja Sieb. et Zucc.) via pollen-mediated gene flow, which could increase the ecological risks of transgenic weed populations and threaten the genetic diversity of wild soybean. To assess the fitness of hybrids derived from transgenic HR soybean and wild soybean, the F₂ and F₃ descendants of crosses of the HR soybean line T14R1251-70 and two wild soybeans (LNTL and JLBC, which were collected from LiaoNing TieLing and JiLin BaiCheng, respectively), were planted along with their parents in wasteland or farmland soil, with or without weed competition. The fitness of F₂ and F₃ was significantly increased compared to the wild soybeans under all test conditions, and they also showed a greater competitive ability against weeds. Seeds produced by F₂ and F₃ were superficially similar to wild soybeans in having a hard seed coat; however, closer morphological examination revealed that the hard-seededness was lower due to the seed coat structure, specifically the presence of thicker hourglass cells in seed coat layers and lower Ca content in palisade epidermis. Hybrid descendants containing the cp4-epsps HR allele were able to complete their life cycle and produce a large number of seeds in the test conditions, which suggests that they would be able to survive in the soil beyond a single growing season, germinate, and grow under suitable conditions. Our findings indicate that the hybrid descendants of HR soybean and wild soybean may pose potential ecological risks in regions of soybean cultivation where wild soybean occurs. Full article

Soybean (Glycine max L.) is a globally important source of plant proteins, oils, and amino acids for both humans and livestock. Wild soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. and Zucc.), the ancestor of cultivated soybean, could be a useful genetic source for increasing these components in soybean crops. In this study, 96,432 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 203 wild soybean accessions from the 180K Axiom^® Soya SNP array were investigated using an association analysis. Protein and oil content exhibited a highly significant negative correlation, while the 17 amino acids exhibited a highly significant positive correlation with each other. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was conducted on the protein, oil, and amino acid content using the 203 wild soybean accessions. A total of 44 significant SNPs were associated with protein, oil, and amino acid content. Glyma.11g015500 and Glyma.20g050300, which contained SNPs detected from the GWAS, were selected as novel candidate genes for the protein and oil content, respectively. In addition, Glyma.01g053200 and Glyma.03g239700 were selected as novel candidate genes for nine of the amino acids (Ala, Asp, Glu, Gly, Leu, Lys, Pro, Ser, and Thr). The identification of the SNP markers related to protein, oil, and amino acid content reported in the present study is expected to help improve the quality of selective breeding programs for soybeans. Full article

Crop domestication has resulted in nutrient losses, so evaluating the reshaping of phytonutrients is crucial for improving nutrition. Soybean is an ideal model due to its abundant phytonutrients and wild relatives. In order to unravel the domestication consequence of phytonutrients, comparative and association analyses of metabolomes and antioxidant activities were performed on seeds of six wild (Glycine soja (Sieb. and Zucc.)) and six cultivated soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Through ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS), we observed a greater metabolic diversity in wild soybeans, which also displayed higher antioxidant activities. (−)-Epicatechin, a potent antioxidant, displayed a 1750-fold greater abundance in wild soybeans than in cultivated soybeans. Multiple polyphenols in the catechin biosynthesis pathway were significantly higher in wild soybeans, including phlorizin, taxifolin, quercetin 3-O-galactoside, cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, (+)-catechin, (−)-epiafzelechin, catechin–glucoside, and three proanthocyanidins. They showed significant positive correlations with each other and antioxidant activities, indicating their cooperative contribution to the high antioxidant activities of wild soybeans. Additionally, natural acylation related to functional properties was characterized in a diverse range of polyphenols. Our study reveals the comprehensive reprogramming of polyphenolic antioxidants during domestication, providing valuable insights for metabolism-assisted fortification of crop nutrition. Full article

The agronomic traits of soybean are important because they are directly or indirectly related to its yield. Cultivated soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr) has lost genetic diversity during domestication and selective breeding. However, wild soybean (G. soja) represents a useful breeding material because it has a diverse gene pool. In this study, a total of 96,432 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 203 wild soybean accessions from the 180K Axiom^® Soya SNP array were employed in the association analysis. Wild soybean accessions were divided into four clusters based on their genetic distance using ADMIXTURE, principal component analysis, and neighbor-joining clusters. The linkage disequilibrium decayed rapidly in wild soybean. A genome-wide association study was conducted for days to flowering (DtF), days to maturity (DtM), the number of pods (NoP), and the 100-seed weight (100SW), which are major agronomic traits for wild soybean accessions. A total of 22 significant SNPs were found to be associated with DtF, DtM, and the 100SW. Based on the detected SNP markers, Glyma.12g210400, a gene related to DtF, Glyma.17g115300, a gene related to DtM, and Glyma.14g140200, a gene related to the 100SW, were selected as candidate genes. The SNP markers related to agronomic traits identified in this study are expected to help improve the quality of soybean cultivars through selective breeding. Full article

The introduction of herbicide-tolerant (HT) transgenic soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) into farming systems raises great concern that transgenes may flow to endemic wild soybeans (Glycine soja Sieb. et Zucc.) via pollen, which may increase the ecological risks by increasing the fitness of hybrids under certain conditions and threaten the genetic diversity of wild soybean populations. In order to demonstrate the potential risk of gene flow from the HT soybean to the wild soybean, the fitness of F2 and F3 hybrids obtained from two wild soybean populations (HLJHRB-1, JSCZ) collected from China and the HT soybean was measured under farmland and wasteland soil conditions, as well as with or without weed competition. Compared with their wild progenitors, the F2 and F3 hybrids of HLJHRB-1 displayed a higher emergence rate, higher aboveground dry biomass, more pods and filled-seed plants, as well as better composite fitness under four planting conditions. The F2 and F3 hybrids of JSCZ also displayed a higher emergence rate, higher aboveground dry biomass, more pods, and more filled seeds per plant under mixed planting, whereas these characteristics were lower under pure planting conditions in wasteland and farmland soil. Therefore, the composite fitness of JSCZ hybrids was higher or lower depending on the planting conditions. Furthermore, the soil microbial communities of the F3 of HLJHRB-1, JSCZ, and the wild soybean were investigated with 16S rDNA sequencing, which showed that low alpha diversity of rhizobacteria was relative to high fitness, and Rhizobium played an important role in promoting F3 plant growth. Full article

The production of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] is seriously threatened by various leaf-feeding insects, and wild soybean [Glycine soja Sieb. & Zucc.] has a greater resistance capacity and genetic diversity. In this study, a natural population consisting of 121 wild soybean accessions was used for detecting insect resistance genes. The larval weight (LW) of the common cutworm (CCW), the resistance level (RL) and the index of damaged leaf (IDL) were evaluated as resistance indicators to herbivores. An association synonymous SNP AX-94083016 located in the coding region of the respiratory burst oxidase gene GsRbohA1 was identified by genome-wide association study (GWAS) analyses. The overexpression of GsRbohA1 in soybean hairy roots enhanced resistance to CCW. One SNP in the promoter region cosegregated with AX-94083016 contributing to soybean resistance to CCW by altering GsRbohA1 gene expression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. Two major haplotypes, GsRbohA1^A and GsRbohA1^G, were identified based on the SNP. The resistant haplotype GsRbohA1^A predominates in wild soybeans, although it has been gradually lost in landraces and cultivars. The nucleotide diversity around GsRbohA1 is much lower in landraces and cultivars than in its ancestors. In conclusion, a new resistant haplotype, GsRbohA1^A, was identified in wild soybean, which will be a valuable gene resource for soybean insect resistance breeding through introducing into improvement lines, and it offers a strategy for exploring resistance gene resources from its wild relatives. Full article

Phytophthora root rot (PRR) is a destructive disease of soybeans (Glycine max (L.) Merr) caused by Phytophthora sojae (P. sojae). The most effective way to prevent the disease is growing resistant or tolerant varieties. Partial resistance provides a more durable resistance against the pathogen compared to complete resistance. Wild soybean (Glycine soja Sieb. & Zucc.) seems to be an extraordinarily important gene pool for soybean improvement due to its high level of genetic variation. In this study, 242 wild soybean germplasms originating from different regions of Heilongjiang province were used to identify resistance genes to P. sojae race 1 using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). A total of nine significant SNPs were detected, repeatedly associated with P. sojae resistance and located on chromosomes 1, 10, 12, 15, 17, 19 and 20. Among them, seven favorable allelic variations associated with P. sojae resistance were evaluated by a t-test. Eight candidate genes were predicted to explore the mechanistic hypotheses of partial resistance, including Glysoja.19G051583, which encodes an LRR receptor-like serine/threonine protein kinase protein, Glysoja.19G051581, which encodes a receptor-like cytosolic serine/threonine protein kinase protein. These findings will provide additional insights into the genetic architecture of P. sojae resistance in a large sample of wild soybeans and P. sojae-resistant breeding through marker-assisted selection. Full article

Soybeans are a major crop that produce the best vegetable oil and protein for use in food and beverage products worldwide. However, one of the most well-known viral infections affecting soybeans is the Soybean Mosaic Virus (SMV), a member of the Potyviridae family. A crucial method for preventing SMV damage is the breeding of resistant soybean cultivars. Adult resistance and resistance of seedcoat mottling are two types of resistance to SMV. Most studies have focused on adult-plant resistance but not on the resistance to seedcoat mottling. In this study, chromosome segment-substituted lines derived from a cross between Suinong14 (cultivated soybean) and ZYD00006 (wild soybean) were used to identify the chromosome region and candidate genes underlying soybean resistance to seed coat mottling. Herein, two quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were found on chromosome 17, and eighteen genes were found in the QTL region. RNA-seq was used to evaluate the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) among the eighteen genes located in the QTLs. According to the obtained data, variations were observed in the expression of five genes following SMV infection. Furthermore, Nicotiana benthamiana was subjected to an Agrobacterium-mediated transient expression assay to investigate the role of the five candidate genes in SMV resistance. It has also been revealed that Glyma.17g238900 encoding a RICE SALT SENSITIVE 3-like protein (RSS3L) can inhibit the multiplication of SMV in N.benthamiana. Moreover, two nonsynonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found in the coding sequence of Glyma.17g238900 derived from the wild soybean ZYD00006 (GsRSS3L), and the two amino acid mutants may be associated with SMV resistance. Hence, it has been suggested that GsRSS3L confers seedcoat mottling resistance, shedding light on the mechanism of soybean resistance to SMV. Full article