ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

Molecular and Structural Research Advances in Model Plants (Second Edition)

A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 July 2025 | Viewed by 1877

Special Issue Editor


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Section of Botany, Department of Biology, School of Science, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
Interests: abiotic/biotic stress effects on plants; plant cell biology; phytomorphogenesis; plant biomass utilization; innovative ecological quality monitoring systems
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Model plants, grown from seed as well as tissue or cellular culture, help researchers to study key biological phenomena, processes, and characteristics that are useful for understanding the consequences of natural mutations, the adaptation of plants to harsh environments or changing climates, plant ecology and evolution, as well as polyploidization. Following the adoption of Arabidopsis thaliana as the primary plant model, plant science has entered the era of molecular biology and genetics, in which traits could be studied at the molecular level. With the availability of new ‘omics’ tools, new plant models are being added to our collection at an unprecedented speed, and old non-model plant models are, in many regards, elevated to proper model system status. Emerging new candidate model plant species will be widely used to simulate various morphological, physiological, and molecular processes in plants, allowing for a more accurate understanding of the mechanisms explaining plant ontogenesis and, in general, plant functions. Some examples of such plants are as follows: Marchantia polymorpha (common liverwort), Physcomitrella patens (earthmoss), Brachypodium distachyon (stiff brome), Setaria viridis (green foxtail), Phragmites australis (common reed), Cardamine hirsuta (hairy bittercress), Pisum sativum (pea), Zea mays (corn), Antirrhinum sp. (snapdragon), Populus sp. (poplar), algal models, etc. Therefore, this Special Issue focuses on research advances in regard to using model plants, with an emphasis on elucidating the molecular/cellular/physiological mechanisms governing key processes or even morphological/anatomical adaptations. We encourage novices and experienced scientists to contribute original research papers and reviews on the above subject. Contributions at the organism, cellular, molecular, and -omic levels are highly welcome.

Dr. Ioannis-Dimosthenis Adamakis
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • A. thaliana
  • plant biology
  • model organisms
  • plant models
  • non-model plant models

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

21 pages, 10364 KiB  
Article
Tissue-Specific Differential Distribution of Cell Wall Epitopes in Sphagnum compactum and Marchantia polymorpha
by Ioannis-Dimosthenis S. Adamakis, Penelope Sotiriou, Natalia Ntanou, Jessica M. Nelson and Eleni Giannoutsou
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(8), 3602; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26083602 - 11 Apr 2025
Viewed by 618
Abstract
Bryophytes, or non-vascular plants, provide valuable models for studying plant adaptation to land, as their physiology differs significantly from that of vascular plants. This study examines the cell wall structure of bryophytes, focusing on the tissue-specific distribution of cell wall epitopes in Sphagnum [...] Read more.
Bryophytes, or non-vascular plants, provide valuable models for studying plant adaptation to land, as their physiology differs significantly from that of vascular plants. This study examines the cell wall structure of bryophytes, focusing on the tissue-specific distribution of cell wall epitopes in Sphagnum compactum (a peat moss) and Marchantia polymorpha (the model liverwort) using specific stains and immunolabeling techniques. In S. compactum, chlorocysts and hyalocysts exhibit distinct polysaccharide compositions, with methylesterified and demethylesterified homogalacturonans, arabinans, and hemicelluloses contributing to water retention, structural integrity, and photosynthetic efficiency. In contrast, M. polymorpha demonstrates a simpler yet polarized distribution of homogalacturonans, arabinans, mannans, and xyloglucans, with arabinogalactan proteins uniquely localized in rhizoids, improving their flexibility and anchorage to the substrate. Cellulose was uniformly distributed throughout all tissues in both bryophytes, while crystalline cellulose was only faintly observed. These findings highlight how cell wall adaptations contribute to ecological specialization, providing insights into the evolutionary innovations that enable bryophytes to thrive in terrestrial environments. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

11 pages, 15279 KiB  
Article
Coumarin Promotes Hypocotyl Elongation by Increasing the Synthesis of Brassinosteroids in Plants
by Siqi Liu, Aolin Ma, Jie Li, Zhixuan Du, Longfei Zhu and Guanping Feng
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1092; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031092 - 27 Jan 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 967
Abstract
Coumarins are natural products commonly found in plants and are typical allelopathic substances that strongly affect the growth of plants after being exudated from the root and help plants absorb Fe in cases of iron deficiency. Although coumarins have been found to have [...] Read more.
Coumarins are natural products commonly found in plants and are typical allelopathic substances that strongly affect the growth of plants after being exudated from the root and help plants absorb Fe in cases of iron deficiency. Although coumarins have been found to have multiple effects, this understanding is still relatively limited. Here, we show that coumarin significantly promotes the elongation of the hypocotyl by enhancing cell elongation. Further research has found that coumarin increases the content of BR in plants by enhancing the expression of brassinosteroid (BR) synthesis genes. The effect of coumarin on promoting hypocotyl elongation is completely blocked by the mutation of the BR synthesis gene DEETIOLATED 2 (DET2) or the co-addition of the BR synthesis inhibitor brassinazole (BRZ). Genetic analysis using Arabidopsis mutants showed that coumarin promoting hypocotyl elongation depends on the signaling pathway of the BRs. Overall, coumarin promotes elongation of the hypocotyl by increasing the synthesis of BRs in plants. These results provide us with new insights into the role of coumarins and offer strong theoretical support for the mechanisms of interactions between plants. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop