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Plant and Environmental Interactions (Abiotic Stress)

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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: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 1828

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Prof. Dr. Lixin Li

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Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin 150040, China
Interests: plant development; vesicle transport; plant response to saline-alkali stress; rhizosphere growth promoting bacteria; plant active substances
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Dear Colleagues,

Due to global climate change, the occurrence of abiotic stress in plant growth environments is becoming increasingly frequent and complex. Throughout the long course of evolution, plants have developed intricate and sophisticated response mechanisms to adapt to adverse environmental conditions. For instance, under abiotic stress, plant cells receive signals and then activate downstream signaling transduction pathways, leading to a series of responses that include plant hormone signaling pathways, metabolic and secondary metabolic processes, and development adjustment. These responses help mitigate the adverse effects of environmental stressors on plants, such as ion toxicity, osmotic stress, and oxidative damage, resulting in adaptive changes in plants.

At the root level in particular, plants continuously interact with various stresses present in the soil environment. The root system engages with the rhizosphere through the secretion of compounds, and rhizosphere microbes significantly influence the plant's environmental adaptability through their interactions with the roots.

Understanding the mechanisms of interaction between plants and environmental factors can provide valuable gene targets for the molecular breeding of crops with the aim of enhancing environmental adaptability, which has significant strategic implications.

Prof. Dr. Lixin Li
Guest Editor

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Keywords

stress response
signal transduction
metabolism and secondary metabolism
material/vesicle transportation
rhizospheric microorganism
interactions between plants and microorganisms

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

20 pages, 7625 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Pseudomonas sp. Strain ADAl3–4 Enhances Aluminum Tolerance in Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

by Yiming Zhang, Yanjun Ji, Fuxin Liu, Yutong Wang, Chengyi Feng, Zhenzhen Zhou, Zijian Zhang, Long Han, Jinxia Li, Mingyu Wang and Lixin Li

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4919; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104919 - 20 May 2025

Viewed by 106

Abstract

Aluminum toxicity severely inhibits root elongation and nutrient uptake, causing global agricultural yield losses. Dissolved Al³⁺ are accumulating in plants and subsequently entering food chains via crops and forage plants. Chronic dietary exposure to Al³⁺ poses a risk to human health. In this study, Pseudomonas sp. strain ADAl3–4, isolated from plant rhizosphere soil, significantly enhanced plant development and biomass. Phenotypic validation using Arabidopsis mutants showed that strain ADAl3–4 regulates plant growth and development under aluminum stress by reprogramming the cell cycle, regulating auxin and ion homeostasis, and enhancing the root absorption of Al³⁺ from the soil. Transcriptomic and biochemical analyses showed that strain ADAl3–4 promotes plant growth via regulating signal transduction, phytohormone biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and antioxidant capacity, etc., under aluminum stress. Our findings indicate that Pseudomonas sp. strain ADAl3–4 enhances plant development and stress resilience under Al³⁺ toxicity through a coordinated multi-dimensional regulatory network. Furthermore, strain ADAl3–4 promoted the root absorption of aluminum rather than the transportation of Al to the aerial part, endowing it with application prospects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant and Environmental Interactions (Abiotic Stress))

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23 pages, 12136 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Alpha/Beta-Hydrolase Fold Superfamily in Brassica napus: Expression Profiles and Functional Implications of Clade-3 BnABH Proteins in Response to Abiotic Stress

by Yahui Ding, Lianqiang Feng, Pu Li, Xindeng Yang, Muzi Li, Hanxuan Liu, Jiamin Xu, Jitong Zhang, Shouwu Sun, Xiaona Zhou, Wenfang Hao, Yanfeng Zhang and Chang-Gen Xie

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(10), 4746; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104746 - 15 May 2025

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Abstract

Alpha/beta hydrolase (ABHs) fold esterase/lipase proteins represent a prominent family within the serine hydrolase (SH) superfamily that includes esterases and lipases and other catalytic and non-catalytic proteins. ABHs play crucial roles in both the fundamental and secondary metabolic pathways, including the synthesis and degradation of triacylglycerols (TAGs), key components of plant oils. Despite their importance in oil production, the ABH gene family in the oil crop Brassica napus has not been comprehensively analyzed. In the present study, we identified 777 BnABH genes in the B. napus cultivar ‘Zhongshuang 11’ (ZS11). Phylogenetic analysis categorized these BnABH genes into 10 distinct groups. Twenty-four BnABHs were identified through esterase activity staining and mass spectrometry, 11 of which were classified into clade C3. Examination of the gene and protein structures, expression patterns, and cis-elements of the BnABHs in clade C3 suggested diverse functional roles across different tissues and in response to various environmental stresses. In particular, BnABH205 was highly induced by high temperatures. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that the BnABH205 protein was localized to the plastid. Further analysis revealed five haplotypes within the coding and 3′ untranslated regions of BnABH205 that were significantly associated with seed oil content (SOC). Overall, this study provides a comprehensive understanding of BnABHs and introduces a robust methodology for identifying potential esterase/lipase genes that regulate seed oil content (SOC) in response to environmental hazards, especially heat waves during seed maturation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant and Environmental Interactions (Abiotic Stress))

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25 pages, 6849 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis of Arabidopsis Seedlings Under Heat Stress on Whole Plants, Shoots, and Roots Reveals New HS-Regulated Genes, Organ-Specific Responses, and Shoots-Roots Communication

by Zhaojiao Liu, Xinye Liu, Shuailei Wang, Shuang Liang, Saimei Li, Juntao Wang, Sitong Liu, Yi Guo and Rui Li

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(6), 2478; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26062478 - 10 Mar 2025

Viewed by 709

Abstract

High temperatures can severely affect plant development and cause a notable decrease in crop yields. Currently, most studies use whole plants that are exposed to steady, high temperatures. This does not reflect the conditions encountered in natural fields, and it overlooks possible differences and coordination between the shoots and roots under heat stress (HS). Here, we analyzed the transcriptome changes in whole plants, shoots, and roots exposed separately to HS. In total, 3346 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained. Plants in which only the shoots were HS-treated showed minor transcriptional changes compared with whole plants exposed to HS. 62 genes were specifically expressed in HS treatment on shoots, and most of these genes have not been reported to function in HS. We found NAC1 may enhance plant heat tolerance. Utilizing Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses, HS-treated shoots showed enhanced gene transcription, protein folding, and MAPK signaling but decreased auxin signaling, while HS-treated roots showed an increase in oxidative stress and suppression of starch and sucrose metabolism. The binding of cis-regulatory elements by transcription factors that act downstream in reactive oxygen species (ROS), abscisic acid (ABA), and brassinosteroid (BR) signaling was significantly enriched at the putative promoters of co-expressed genes in shoots and roots under HS treatments on aboveground tissues or roots. Moreover, 194 core HS-responsive genes were identified from all HS treatments, of which 125 have not been reported to function in HS responses. Among them, we found that REV1 and MYC67 may positively regulate the response of plants to heat shock. This work uncovers many new HS-responsive genes and distinct response strategies employed by shoots and roots following HS exposure. Additionally, ROS, ABA, and BR or their downstream signaling factors may be important components for transmitting heat shock signals between shoots and roots. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant and Environmental Interactions (Abiotic Stress))

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20 pages, 4593 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Identification of the WUSCHEL-Related Homeobox (WOX) Gene Family in Barley Reveals the Potential Role of HvWOX8 in Salt Tolerance

by Wenqi Zhang, Linli Huang, Longhua Zhou, Yingjie Zong, Runhong Gao, Yingbo Li and Chenghong Liu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(5), 2019; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26052019 - 26 Feb 2025

Viewed by 520

Abstract

The WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) belongs to a plant-specific transcription factor gene family that plays crucial roles in plant growth and development. Barley ranks as the fourth global cereal crop and is recognized as a model crop for the study of cereal genetics. However, genome-wide characterization, functional validation, and stress-related studies of the WOX gene family in barley remain limited, hindering efforts to leverage their potential for improving salt tolerance and regeneration efficiency in breeding programs. In this study, we identified 12 HvWOX genes assigned from chromosome 1 to chromosome 5. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these HvWOX genes can be classified into three clades (WUS, ancient, and intermediate). Gene structure analysis revealed that the exon numbers of HvWOX genes varied in the WUS and intermediate clades but were highly conserved in the ancient clade. Tissue-specific analysis revealed that the most common HvWOX genes were highly expressed in reproductive tissues such as anthers or ovaries. Cis-element analysis suggested that there were multiple stress- and hormone-responsive elements in the HvWOX gene promoters. In addition, overexpression of HvWOX8 in Arabidopsis significantly enhanced root elongation under salt stress (50–100 mM NaCl), suggesting its direct role in salt tolerance. Transcriptomic analysis further revealed that HvWOX8 modulates hormone signaling and electron transfer pathways during ATP synthesis under stress conditions. In conclusion, our results provided a comprehensive understanding of the gene characteristics, expression patterns, and potential roles of barley WOX genes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant and Environmental Interactions (Abiotic Stress))

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