ijms-logo

Journal Browser

Journal Browser

25th Anniversary of IJMS: Updates and Advances in Molecular Plant Sciences

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 December 2025 | Viewed by 902

Special Issue Editor

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The International Journal of Molecular Sciences proudly marks its 25th anniversary in 2025. Over the past quarter-century, IJMS has published thousands of original research and review articles spanning a wide array of disciplines. Among these, plant molecular science has been a particularly dynamic and rapidly evolving field. To commemorate this milestone, the editorial board is pleased to announce a dedicated Special Issue titled “25th Anniversary of IJMS: Updates and Advances in Molecular Plant Sciences”. We warmly invite contributions that explore any of the following timely and impactful areas:

  1. Epigenetics and Gene Regulation—DNA methylation and stress memory, histone modifications, non-coding RNAs
  2. Signal Transduction and Hormone Pathways—ABA signaling, jasmonate–salicylate crosstalk, peptide signaling
  3. Genome Editing and Synthetic Biology—Base and prime editing, multiplexed CRISPR, synthetic promoters
  4. Protein–Protein Interactions and Post-Translational Modifications—Ubiquitin–proteasome system, phosphorylation networks, SUMOylation
  5. Metabolic Engineering—Terpenoid and phenylpropanoid pathways, C₄ photosynthesis engineering, nitrogen fixation in non-legumes
  6. Cell Wall Biology—Lignin engineering, cellulose synthase complexes, dynamic remodeling of cell walls
  7. Organelle Communication—Retrograde signaling, mitochondrial ROS pathways, plasmodesmata regulation
  8. Single-Cell and Spatial Omics—Single-cell RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics
  9. Circadian Rhythms and Environmental Sensing—Photoreceptor signaling networks, circadian regulation of nutrient uptake
  10. Molecular Plant Immunity—NLR resistosomes, effector-triggered immunity, exosome-mediated defense
  11. Evolutionary and Comparative Genomics—Pangenome analyses, rediscovery of domestication genes
  12. Nanobiotechnology in Plants—Nanoparticle delivery systems, carbon nanotube-based sensors
  13. Emerging Tools and Techniques—Nanotechnology applications in plant science, synthesis of secondary metabolites for drug development

Dr. Andrei Smertenko
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

  • plant science
  • plant biochemistry
  • mechanisms
  • plant development
  • stress responses
  • plant physiology
  • genetics

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 (3 papers)

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

Research

18 pages, 4241 KB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification and Biotic Stress Responses of TLP Gene Family in Citrus sinensis
by Xingtao Li, Lizhen Fan, Chang Liu, Xinrui Wang, Xiaoyuan Zhang and Xiaonan Tong
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(20), 10133; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms262010133 (registering DOI) - 18 Oct 2025
Abstract
Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs), a subfamily of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, play a vital role in plant defense against pathogens. In this study, 23 CsTLP genes were identified in the Citrus sinensis genome. These genes encode proteins ranging from 203 to 512 amino acids, with [...] Read more.
Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs), a subfamily of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins, play a vital role in plant defense against pathogens. In this study, 23 CsTLP genes were identified in the Citrus sinensis genome. These genes encode proteins ranging from 203 to 512 amino acids, with molecular weights between 21.88 and 53.75 kDa, classifying them as small molecular weight proteins. The CsTLP genes are unevenly distributed across eight chromosomes, with chromosome 3 containing the highest number (6 genes). Subcellular localization predictions indicate that most CsTLPs are located in the extracellular space. Phylogenetic analysis with Arabidopsis thaliana TLPs classified the CsTLPs into 10 clades, with clade 5 being the largest. Three segmentally duplicated gene pairs were identified, suggesting a mechanism for the expansion of this gene family. Expression profiling revealed tissue-specific patterns, with the highest expression levels observed in roots and leaves. Under biotic stress, qRT-PCR analysis of 12 selected CsTLPs demonstrated pathogen-specific responses: CsTLP9 and CsTLP22 were strongly upregulated during Huanglongbing (HLB, bacterial) infection, by 21.70-fold and 9.47-fold, respectively. Multiple genes, including CsTLP5/13/18/21/23, exhibited over 10-fold upregulation following Citrus Anthracnose (CA, fungal) infection; however, most genes showed only weak responses to Citrus tristeza virus (CTV, viral). These findings underscore the regulatory significance of CsTLPs in pathogen responses and provide an important theoretical foundation for enhancing molecular disease-resistance breeding in Citrus sinensis. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 1887 KB  
Article
Effect of Nickel Stress on Nitrogen Metabolism in Cucumber Plants
by Ewa Gajewska and Aleksandra Witusińska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(19), 9327; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26199327 - 24 Sep 2025
Viewed by 235
Abstract
Excessive concentrations of nickel (Ni) are phytotoxic, leading to disturbances in plant cell structure and function. Although some attempts have been made to elucidate the Ni impact on plant metabolism, the effect of this metal on nitrogen assimilation and transformation of nitrogen compounds [...] Read more.
Excessive concentrations of nickel (Ni) are phytotoxic, leading to disturbances in plant cell structure and function. Although some attempts have been made to elucidate the Ni impact on plant metabolism, the effect of this metal on nitrogen assimilation and transformation of nitrogen compounds still remains poorly understood. The objective of our study was to gain a better insight into the Ni influence on nitrogen metabolism in cucumber plants. Nitrogen metabolism-related enzyme activities and selected metabolite contents were assayed using spectrophotometric methods. Additionally, in the leaves, nitrogen assimilation-involved gene expression was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR. Nickel treatment resulted in a decline in NO3 content in the leaf and NH4+ content in the root. In the leaf, ferredoxin-dependent glutamate synthase (Fd-GOGAT) activity decreased, while NADH-dependent glutamate synthase (NADH-GOGAT) and glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) activities increased. The GDH activity showed increases in both its aminating (NADH-GDH) and deaminating (NAD-GDH) functions. The activities of the other enzymes involved in nitrogen assimilation were not influenced by Ni stress. In the root, the activities of most enzymes were downregulated by Ni treatment except for NADH-GDH and NAD-GDH activities which showed increases. While glutamate content remained unaltered after Ni exposure in the leaf, in the root it was slightly lowered. In contrast to the leaf, showing accumulation of non-protein thiols and proline, in the root, these compound contents were markedly decreased. Our study revealed an organ-specific response of cucumber plants to Ni treatment. Accumulation of glutamate derivatives involved in response to heavy metal stress without significant changes in glutamate content may suggest that in the leaf, the induction of NADH-GOGAT and NADH-GDH activities efficiently compensates for the reduced Fd-GOGAT activity. Additionally, the increased NADP-ICDH activity may support glutamate production by providing 2-oxoglutarate for reactions catalyzed by NADH-GOGAT and NADH-GDH. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

18 pages, 6955 KB  
Article
Plastid Phylogenomics of Camphora officinarum Nees: Unraveling Genetic Diversity and Geographic Differentiation in East Asian Subtropical Forests
by Chen Hou, Yingchao Jiang, Qian Zhang, Jun Yao, Huiming Lian, Minghuai Wang, Peiwu Xie, Yiqun Chen and Yanling Cai
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(18), 9229; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26189229 - 21 Sep 2025
Viewed by 372
Abstract
Camphora officinarum Nees constitutes a pivotal tree species within the evergreen broad-leaved forests of East Asia, endowed with significant economic, ornamental, and ecological importance. Nevertheless, previous research has markedly underestimated the genetic diversity of this species, thereby hindering our efforts in conserving resources [...] Read more.
Camphora officinarum Nees constitutes a pivotal tree species within the evergreen broad-leaved forests of East Asia, endowed with significant economic, ornamental, and ecological importance. Nevertheless, previous research has markedly underestimated the genetic diversity of this species, thereby hindering our efforts in conserving resources and enhancing genetic breeding. The current study generated 155 chloroplast genomes from specimens of C. officinarum obtained from six provinces/regions in China. The results reveal the identification of seven distinct clades (I–VII), with Clades II, III, V, and VII exhibiting genome expansions, primarily influenced by lineage-specific elongation of inverted repeats (IRs), whereas Clades I, IV, and VI maintained conserved IR lengths. Despite the structural plasticity, the GC content remained highly conserved. Geographic patterns indicated gene flow between adjacent regions (e.g., Hunan and Hubei with identical IR lengths), but genetic isolation in Fujian. High-polymorphism regions (psba-matK, ycf1, ycf2, and ndhF) were identified as superior phylogenetic markers, enhancing intraspecies-level resolution. Simple sequence repeats (SSRs) varied significantly among clades, dominated by A/T-rich mononucleotide repeats. These repeats, along with divergent repeat types (e.g., absence of reverse repeats in Clades V/VI), serve as robust tools for resource identification and evolutionary trajectory inference. Phylogenetically, samples from Fujian formed a distinct lineage, while samples from other regions, especially Guangdong, were mixed, with this finding probably being a reflection of historical cultivation and anthropogenic translocation. This study offers a framework for the genetic breeding and investigation of the evolutionary history of C. officinarum. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop