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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: closed (20 January 2025) | Viewed by 8939

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Viviana Maresca

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Guest Editor

Department of Biology, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia, 80126 Naples, Italy
Interests: abiotic stress; ROS; antioxidant enzymes; ultrastructural damage; DNA damage; environmental pollution

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The effects of environmental changes are one of the most interesting research topics in plant science. Abiotic stresses such as drought, high temperatures, salinity, air and soil pollution or mineral deficiency widely influence plant development and crop productivity. These changes induce an increase in free radicals, or reactive chemical species that can cause cell damage. The responses to these changes involve morpho-anatomical, structural, molecular, biochemical and physiological mechanisms, which allow plants to overcome or adapt to stress conditions.

However, the extent to which these changes occur and the pathways involved in plant acclimation remain unknown because the results are sometimes controversial. This Special Issue will accept full or short reviews and research articles from a broad range of interdisciplinary research on plant and crop responses to abiotic stress, ranging from molecular to morpho-anatomical responses, including novel signal transduction molecules and pathways involved during plant acclimation.

Dr. Viviana Maresca
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

abiotic stress
ROS
antioxidant enzymes
molecular responses
biochemical responses
physiological responses
stress tolerance

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 1938 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Differences in the Temporal Kinetics of the Metabolic Responses to Salinity Between the Salt-Tolerant Thellungiella salsuginea and the Salt-Sensitive Arabidopsis thaliana Reveal New Insights in Salt Tolerance Mechanisms

by Aayush Sharma and Tahar Taybi

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(11), 5141; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26115141 - 27 May 2025

Viewed by 229

Abstract

To unravel the mechanisms underpinning salt tolerance, different studies have attempted to determine the physiological and genetic variations behind the difference in salt tolerance between Arabidopsis thaliana and the salt-tolerant Thellungiella salsuginea (halophila). Most of these studies were limited to a specific duration of salt treatment and neglected the time response as a possible contributing factor to the higher salt tolerance exhibited by T. salsuginea. In this work, a comprehensive and detailed comparison of the response of the two species to high salinity was conducted at different times for up to ten days of salt treatment. T. salsuginea responded more rapidly and to a higher extent to adjust its metabolism and showed constitutive levels of anticipatory metabolism to salinity. T. salsuginea responded more rapidly in terms of maintaining light use efficiency, limiting the uptake of Na⁺, and increasing the accumulation of sugars and proline when exposed to salinity. T. salsuginea had much higher constitutive levels of metabolites, including malate, proline, and inositol, in comparison to A. thaliana. Interestingly, T. salsuginea showed a reduction in malate levels under salt treatment in contrast to A. thaliana. These results suggest that constitutive levels and the rapidity of the deployment of resistance mechanisms, together with metabolic plasticity, in response to salt stress are important adaptive traits for salt tolerance in plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research in Plant Abiotic Stress)

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16 pages, 7716 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Responses of Calligonum leucocladum to Prolonged Drought Stress Through Antioxidant System Activation, Soluble Sugar Accumulation, and Maintaining Photosynthetic Homeostasis

by Fang Yang and Guanghui Lv

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(9), 4403; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26094403 - 6 May 2025

Viewed by 355

Abstract

Desert shrubs play an important role in the stability of arid and fragile desert ecosystems. However, despite their significant ecological importance, limited research has been performed on shrub drought tolerance strategies at the morphological, physiological, and molecular levels. Therefore, this study focused on the typical desert shrub, Calligonum leucocladum, and analyzed its morphology, physiology, and protein expression under two different habitats: moist low-salt and arid low-salt. The results indicate that drought stress inhibited the growth of C. leucocladum, leading to significant reductions in its plant height, base diameter, and crown width by 14.93%, 49.57%, and 48.49%, respectively. Drought stress triggered a 30% decline in stomatal conductance, whereas homeostasis was observed in net photosynthesis, intercellular CO₂, and transpiration. The soluble sugar content significantly increased by 13.43%, while the starch, soluble protein, and proline content significantly decreased by 20.32%, 10.67%, and 55.61%, respectively. In addition, under drought stress, membrane peroxidation products, reactive oxygen species metabolites, and antioxidant enzyme activities significantly increased. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis revealed 40 proteins that were significantly enriched in the photosynthesis and oxidative phosphorylation pathways through KEGG enrichment analysis. In addition, C. leucocladum maintains photosynthetic homeostasis by enhancing PSII repair (PsbE, PsbL, PsbH) and electron transfer chain efficiency (PetD, nad 2, nad 9), thereby compensating for the insufficient carbon dioxide supply caused by stomatal limitation. This study integrated multidimensional data from morphology, physiology, and proteomics to reveal that C. leucocladum drives a coupled network of photosynthesis, antioxidant, and carbon metabolism through chloroplast translation reprogramming. It maintains photosynthetic homeostasis and osmotic balance under a 30% decrease in stomatal conductance, elucidating the cross-scale regulatory strategy of desert shrubs adapting to extreme drought. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research in Plant Abiotic Stress)

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15 pages, 3100 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Analysis of Physiological and Biochemical Responses to Salt Stress Reveals Important Mechanisms of Salt Tolerance in Wheat

by Tahar Taybi and Norah Alyahya

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(8), 3742; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26083742 - 16 Apr 2025

Viewed by 428

Abstract

Salinity tolerance varies among wheat (Triticum aestivum) tissues and cultivars. This study investigated the impact of salt stress on two Saudi wheat cultivars, Qiadh and Najran. Growth parameters (fresh weight, dry weight and plant length), biochemical responses (proline, soluble sugars, starch and organic acids contents) and antioxidants (phenolics content), as well as gene responses, were assessed in the control and salt (NaCl)-treated plants. A distinctive variation was observed between the two cultivars. Najran was the most tolerant to salt stress. Salt stress caused a dramatic decline in growth parameters in both cultivars; however, Qiadh exhibited the highest reduction in growth and yield. Differential increase in metabolite content occurred in the two cultivars under salinity stress, with levels varying between cultivars and roots and shoots. Transcripts for genes involved in the production of proline, sugars, starch and phenolics increased in shoots and roots, to higher levels in Qiadh compared to Najran. Interestingly, transcript levels for genes involved in sugar and starch synthesis declined in Najran roots. The obtained results confirm that different wheat cultivars employ varying mechanisms to alleviate the harmful effects of salt stress. The salt-tolerant Najran cultivar might constitute a genetic source for breeding enhanced salt tolerance in other wheat cultivars. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research in Plant Abiotic Stress)

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18 pages, 2360 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of Melatonin Pre- and Post-Drought Treatment on Oxidative Stress Markers and Expression of Proline-Related Transcripts in Young Wheat Plants

by Zornitsa Katerova, Dessislava Todorova, Irina I. Vaseva, Elena Shopova, Margarita Petrakova, Martin Iliev and Iskren Sergiev

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(22), 12127; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms252212127 - 12 Nov 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1001

Abstract

Wheat can tolerate a mild water deficit, but prolonged drought causes a number of detrimental physiological changes resulting in a substantial decrease in productivity. The present study evaluates the potential of the natural plant growth regulator melatonin to alleviate the negative effects of moderate drought in two Bulgarian winter wheat cultivars at the early vegetative stage. Melatonin doses of 75 µM were root-supplemented 24 h before or after the stress period. The levels of several biometric parameters, osmolyte content and stress indicators as well as the expression of genes coding for key enzymes of the proline biosynthesis pathway were analyzed in leaves at the end of the drought stress and after two and four days of recovery. Applied alone, melatonin did not exert significant effects on most of the monitored parameters. Water deprivation negatively affected seedlings’ fresh weight and water content and increased the stress markers and osmolyte levels. These were accompanied by a high accumulation of TaP5CS and TaP5CR transcripts coding for the enzymes Δ-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthase and Δ-pyrroline-5-carboxylate reductase, respectively. The effect of melatonin in reducing drought stress was similar whether applied before or after exposure, though slightly more effective when used as a pre-treatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research in Plant Abiotic Stress)

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30 pages, 5562 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptome Profiles Reveal Key Regulatory Networks during Single and Multifactorial Stresses Coupled with Melatonin Treatment in Pitaya (Selenicereus undatus L.)

by Aamir Ali Khokhar, Liu Hui, Darya Khan, Zhang You, Qamar U Zaman, Babar Usman and Hua-Feng Wang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(16), 8901; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25168901 - 15 Aug 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1594

Abstract

In response to evolving climatic conditions, plants frequently confront multiple abiotic stresses, necessitating robust adaptive mechanisms. This study focuses on the responses of Selenicereus undatus L. to both individual stresses (cadmium; Cd, salt; S, and drought; D) and their combined applications, with an emphasis on evaluating the mitigating effects of (M) melatonin. Through transcriptome analysis, this study identifies significant gene expression changes and regulatory network activations. The results show that stress decreases pitaya growth rates by 30%, reduces stem and cladode development by 40%, and increases Cd uptake under single and combined stresses by 50% and 70%, respectively. Under stress conditions, enhanced activities of H₂O₂, POD, CAT, APX, and SOD and elevated proline content indicate strong antioxidant defenses. We identified 141 common DEGs related to stress tolerance, most of which were related to AtCBP, ALA, and CBP pathways. Interestingly, the production of genes related to signal transduction and hormones, including abscisic acid and auxin, was also significantly induced. Several calcium-dependent protein kinase genes were regulated during M and stress treatments. Functional enrichment analysis showed that most of the DEGs were enriched during metabolism, MAPK signaling, and photosynthesis. In addition, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified critical transcription factors (WRKYs, MYBs, bZIPs, bHLHs, and NACs) associated with antioxidant activities, particularly within the salmon module. This study provides morpho-physiological and transcriptome insights into pitaya’s stress responses and suggests molecular breeding techniques with which to enhance plant resistance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research in Plant Abiotic Stress)

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15 pages, 13437 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrative Analysis of Transcriptomic Profiles and Physiological Responses Provide New Insights into Drought Stress Tolerance in Oil Palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.)

by Fernan Santiago Mejía-Alvarado, Arley Fernando Caicedo-Zambrano, David Botero-Rozo, Leonardo Araque, Cristihian Jarri Bayona-Rodríguez, Seyed Mehdi Jazayeri, Carmenza Montoya, Iván Ayala-Díaz, Rodrigo Ruiz-Romero and Hernán Mauricio Romero

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(16), 8761; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25168761 - 12 Aug 2024

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1914

Abstract

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a highly productive crop economically significant for food, cosmetics, and biofuels. Abiotic stresses such as low water availability, salt accumulation, and high temperatures severely impact oil palm growth, physiology, and yield by restricting water flux among soil, plants, and the environment. While drought stress’s physiological and biochemical effects on oil palm have been extensively studied, the molecular mechanisms underlying drought stress tolerance remain unclear. Under water deficit conditions, this study investigates two commercial E. guineensis cultivars, IRHO 7001 and IRHO 2501. Water deficit adversely affected the physiology of both cultivars, with IRHO 2501 being more severely impacted. After several days of water deficit, there was a 40% reduction in photosynthetic rate (A) for IRHO 7001 and a 58% decrease in IRHO 2501. Further into the drought conditions, there was a 75% reduction in A for IRHO 7001 and a 91% drop in IRHO 2501. Both cultivars reacted to the drought stress conditions by closing stomata and reducing the transpiration rate. Despite these differences, no significant variations were observed between the cultivars in stomatal conductance, transpiration, or instantaneous leaf-level water use efficiency. This indicates that IRHO 7001 is more tolerant to drought stress than IRHO 2501. A differential gene expression and network analysis was conducted to elucidate the differential responses of the cultivars. The DESeq2 algorithm identified 502 differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The gene coexpression network for IRHO 7001 comprised 274 DEGs and 46 predicted HUB genes, whereas IRHO 2501’s network included 249 DEGs and 3 HUB genes. RT-qPCR validation of 15 DEGs confirmed the RNA-Seq data. The transcriptomic profiles and gene coexpression network analysis revealed a set of DEGs and HUB genes associated with regulatory and transcriptional functions. Notably, the zinc finger protein ZAT11 and linoleate 13S-lipoxygenase 2-1 (LOX2.1) were overexpressed in IRHO 2501 but under-expressed in IRHO 7001. Additionally, phytohormone crosstalk was identified as a central component in the response and adaptation of oil palm to drought stress. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research in Plant Abiotic Stress)

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21 pages, 7041 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Promising B−Type Response Regulator hst1 Gene Provides Multiple High Temperature and Drought Stress Tolerance in Rice

by Ermelinda Maria Lopes Hornai, Murat Aycan and Toshiaki Mitsui

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25(4), 2385; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25042385 - 17 Feb 2024

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1938

Abstract

High temperatures, drought, and salt stresses severely inhibit plant growth and production due to the effects of climate change. The Arabidopsis ARR1, ARR10, and ARR12 genes were identified as negative salt and drought stress regulators. However, in rice, the tolerance capacity of the hst1 gene, which is orthologous to the ARR1, ARR10, and ARR12 genes, to drought and multiple high temperature and drought stresses remains unknown. At the seedling and reproductive stages, we investigated the drought (DS) high temperature (HT) and multiple high temperature and drought stress (HT+DS) tolerance capacity of the YNU31−2−4 (YNU) genotype, which carries the hst1 gene, and its nearest genomic relative Sister Line (SL), which has a 99% identical genome without the hst1 gene. At the seedling stage, YNU demonstrated greater growth, photosynthesis, antioxidant enzyme activity, and decreased ROS accumulation under multiple HT+DS conditions. The YNU genotype also demonstrated improved yield potential and grain quality due to higher antioxidant enzyme activity and lower ROS generation throughout the reproductive stage under multiple HT+DS settings. Furthermore, for the first time, we discovered that the B−type response regulator hst1 gene controls ROS generation and antioxidant enzyme activities by regulating upstream and downstream genes to overcome yield reduction under multiple high temperatures and drought stress. This insight will help us to better understand the mechanisms of high temperature and drought stress tolerance in rice, as well as the evolution of tolerant crops that can survive increased salinity to provide food security during climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Research in Plant Abiotic Stress)

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