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Signaling and Stress Adaptation in Plants
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Signaling and Stress Adaptation in Plants

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: 20 November 2025 | Viewed by 4276

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Kangdi Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Food and Biological Engineering, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei, China
Interests: cereals; genomics; functional genomics; breeding
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Yi Han

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Engineering Laboratory of Crop Stress Resistance Breeding, School of Life Sciences, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China
Interests: hydrogen sulfide; reactive oxygen species; nitric oxide; redox homeostasis; antioxidant
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

As sessile organisms, plants must cope with environmental stress such as soil salinity, drought, pathogen attack and extreme temperatures. As a result, plant-specific, elaborate mechanisms have evolved to perceive and respond to stress conditions. Currently, stress-signaling pathways involve reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS), calcium (Ca2+), protein kinases and others. These stress signals and responses are plausibly being revealed to involve crosstalk with energy signaling pathways as any growth-limiting factor alters plant’s energy status. Understanding stress signaling and responses will increase our ability to improve stress resistance in crops to achieve agricultural sustainability and food security for a growing world. However, how plants sense stress signals and adapt to adverse environments are fundamental biological questions.

This Special Issue will focus on studies that highlight recent advances in stress signaling and the adaptative and acclimation mechanisms in response to environmental stimuli in plants, including original research articles and reviews aimed at understanding the molecular mechanisms and physiological roles of stress signals and their interacting systems under stress and non-stress conditions.

Dr. Kangdi Hu
Prof. Dr. Yi Han
Guest Editors

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

  • plants
  • environmental stress
  • stress signaling
  • reactive oxygen/nitrogen species
  • calcium
  • protein kinases
  • stress resistance
  • adaptive mechanisms

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 3809 KiB  
Article
Comprehensive Analysis of Metabolites and Biological Endpoints Providing New Insights into the Tolerance of Wheat Under Sulfamethoxazole Stress
by Yong Yang, Jiangtao Jia, Tao Han, Heng Zhang, Yvjie Wang, Luying Shao and Xinyi Wang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(9), 4257; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26094257 - 30 Apr 2025
Viewed by 85
Abstract
Metabolomics is a commonly used method to study the responses of organisms to environmental changes. However, the relationships between metabolites and biological endpoints still need further discussion. In this study, we exposed wheat seeds to sulfamethoxazole (0, 1, 10, 100 mg/L) for 5 [...] Read more.
Metabolomics is a commonly used method to study the responses of organisms to environmental changes. However, the relationships between metabolites and biological endpoints still need further discussion. In this study, we exposed wheat seeds to sulfamethoxazole (0, 1, 10, 100 mg/L) for 5 days. The results show that sulfamethoxazole (SMX) had an inhibitory effect on wheat growth. It reduced shoot length, root length, shoot fresh weight, root fresh weight, chlorophyll content, and carotenoid content. At the same time, it increased the concentration of reactive oxygen species, the activity of superoxide dismutase, the activity of peroxidase, and the activity of catalase in the root. An orthogonal partial least squares analysis and correlation analysis were performed. SMX transformed five key metabolic pathways. Notably, certain metabolic alterations exhibited negative correlations with reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activities (including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT)), while showing positive associations with root growth parameters (fresh weight and length). Conversely, other metabolic changes appeared to promote ROS generation and enhance antioxidant enzyme activities, consequently inhibiting root growth. These findings offer novel perspectives on the metabolic regulation of wheat’s stress response to SMX exposure. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signaling and Stress Adaptation in Plants)
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21 pages, 3720 KiB  
Article
2-(3,4-Dichlorophenoxy)triethylamine (DCPTA) Sustains Root Activity Through the Enhancement of Ascorbate-Glutathione in Spring Maize (Zea mays L.) Under Post-Tasseling Waterlogging
by Tenglong Xie, Linlin Mei, Xiao-Ge Yang, Meiyu Wang, Qian Zhang, Wei Li, He Zhang, Meng Zhang, Deguang Yang, Jingjie Dou and Xuechen Yang
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(8), 3698; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26083698 - 14 Apr 2025
Viewed by 218
Abstract
In Northeast China, waterlogging has emerged as a significant challenge due to climate change, particularly during the June–August period when spring maize (Zea mays L.), at the post-tasseling phase, impedes a comprehensive understanding of responses and the development of resistance technologies. 2-(3,4-dichlorophenoxy) [...] Read more.
In Northeast China, waterlogging has emerged as a significant challenge due to climate change, particularly during the June–August period when spring maize (Zea mays L.), at the post-tasseling phase, impedes a comprehensive understanding of responses and the development of resistance technologies. 2-(3,4-dichlorophenoxy) triethylamine (DCPTA) is suitable for the entire lifecycle of various economic and food crops, improving crop quality and enhancing stress resistance. The study investigated the ear leaf photosynthesis in relation to the root antioxidant systems’ differential responses of spring maize to waterlogging among the tasseling (VT), vesicle (R2) and dough (R4) stages, and the exogenous DCPTA regulating effect. Results revealed that waterlogging inhibited root physiological activity due to oxidative damage. Consequently, the stomatal restriction and non-stomatal restriction on photosynthesis appeared successively, and R4 was the most sensitive stage. Pretreatment with DCPTA reduced stomatal restriction by maintaining water transfer to the leaf through maintaining root physiological activity via enhanced ascorbate–glutathione cycle. Delayed non-stomatal restriction appeared due to relatively stable chlorophyll content and photosynthetic activities, and VT stage exhibited the highest susceptibility to DCPTA. The study provides a necessary theoretical foundation for comprehending the physiological mechanisms underlying yield formation of spring maize under waterlogging stress in Northeast China, and offers valuable insights for the development of chemical regulation technology. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signaling and Stress Adaptation in Plants)
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26 pages, 11098 KiB  
Article
Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of TCP Transcription Factors Responding to Multiple Stresses in Arachis hypogaea L.
by Yanting Zhu, Sijie Niu, Jingyi Lin, Hua Yang, Xun Zhou, Siwei Wang, Xiaoyan Liu, Qiang Yang, Chong Zhang, Yuhui Zhuang, Tiecheng Cai, Weijian Zhuang and Hua Chen
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(3), 1069; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26031069 - 26 Jan 2025
Viewed by 864
Abstract
The TEOSINTE-BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING-CELL-FACTOR (TCP) gene family, a plant-specific transcription factor family, plays pivotal roles in various processes such as plant growth and development regulation, hormone crosstalk, and stress responses. However, a comprehensive genome-wide identification and characterization of the TCP gene family in [...] Read more.
The TEOSINTE-BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PROLIFERATING-CELL-FACTOR (TCP) gene family, a plant-specific transcription factor family, plays pivotal roles in various processes such as plant growth and development regulation, hormone crosstalk, and stress responses. However, a comprehensive genome-wide identification and characterization of the TCP gene family in peanut has yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide search and identified 51 TCP genes (designated as AhTCPs) in peanut, unevenly distributed across 17 chromosomes. These AhTCPs were phylogenetically classified into three subclasses: PCF, CIN, and CYC/TB1. Gene structure analysis of the AhTCPs revealed that most AhTCPs within the same subclade exhibited conserved motifs and domains, as well as similar gene structures. Cis-acting element analysis demonstrated that the AhTCP genes harbored numerous cis-acting elements associated with stress response, plant growth and development, plant hormone response, and light response. Intraspecific collinearity analysis unveiled significant collinear relationships among 32 pairs of these genes. Further collinear evolutionary analysis found that peanuts share 30 pairs, 24 pairs, 33 pairs, and 100 pairs of homologous genes with A. duranensis, A. ipaensis, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Glycine max, respectively. Moreover, we conducted a thorough analysis of the transcriptome expression profiles in peanuts across various tissues, under different hormone treatment conditions, in response to low- and high-calcium treatments, and under low-temperature and drought stress scenarios. The qRT-PCR results were in accordance with the transcriptome expression data. Collectively, these studies have established a solid theoretical foundation for further exploring the biological functions of the TCP gene family in peanuts, providing valuable insights into the regulatory mechanisms of plant growth, development, and stress responses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signaling and Stress Adaptation in Plants)
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21 pages, 2629 KiB  
Article
Peptide AEDL and Glutathione Stimulates Root Development Nicotiana tabacum
by Neonila Vasilievna Kononenko and Larisa Ivanovna Fedoreyeva
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(1), 289; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26010289 - 31 Dec 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 625
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential molecules involved in intercellular communication, signal transduction, and metabolic processes. Abiotic stresses cause the accumulation of excess ROS in plant cells. The issue of regulating the antioxidant protection of plants using natural and synthetic compounds with antioxidant [...] Read more.
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential molecules involved in intercellular communication, signal transduction, and metabolic processes. Abiotic stresses cause the accumulation of excess ROS in plant cells. The issue of regulating the antioxidant protection of plants using natural and synthetic compounds with antioxidant activity still remains one of the most important and relevant areas of fundamental and applied research. Glutathione (GSH) plays an important role in the stress resistance and redox homeostasis of plant cells and effectively protects the cell from the stress-induced generation of ROS. An increase in the GSH content in plant cells can contribute to an increase in plant resistance to various types of stressors. We have shown that growing Nicotiana tabacum in the presence of tetrapeptide AEDL (AlaGluAspLeu) contributes to an increase in the GSH content by 3.24 times. At the same time, the tobacco plant was more developed, especially its root system. A scheme of the mechanism behind the regulation of the redox balance in the stem cell niche and the participation of the AEDL and GSH peptides in the regulation of the fate of stem cells was proposed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signaling and Stress Adaptation in Plants)
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13 pages, 2375 KiB  
Article
Phytic Acid Delays the Senescence of Rosa roxburghii Fruit by Regulating Antioxidant Capacity and the Ascorbate–Glutathione Cycle
by Boyu Dong, Yulong Chen, Chengyue Kuang, Fangfang Da and Xiaochun Ding
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(1), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26010098 - 26 Dec 2024
Viewed by 707
Abstract
Rosa roxburghii fruit has a short postharvest shelf life, with rapid declines in quality and antioxidant capacity. This research assessed how phytic acid affects the antioxidant capacity and quality of R. roxburghii fruit while in the postharvest storage period and reveals its potential [...] Read more.
Rosa roxburghii fruit has a short postharvest shelf life, with rapid declines in quality and antioxidant capacity. This research assessed how phytic acid affects the antioxidant capacity and quality of R. roxburghii fruit while in the postharvest storage period and reveals its potential mechanism of action. The findings suggested that phytic acid treatment inhibits the production of malondialdehyde (MDA) and enhances the activities and expressions of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) while decreasing the generation of superoxide anions (O2•−) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). Phytic acid treatment activates the ascorbate–glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle and enhances the activity and expression of key enzymes in the cycle: ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione reductase (GR), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR), and monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR). It also increases the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants, such as ascorbic acid (AsA) and glutathione (GSH), while reducing the production of dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG). Moreover, phytic acid treatment enhances the ratios of AsA/DHA and GSH/GSSG, maintaining the reduced state of the fruit. In summary, phytic acid improves antioxidant defense system and activates the AsA-GSH cycle, alleviating oxidative damage and ensuring R. roxburghii fruit quality after harvest. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signaling and Stress Adaptation in Plants)
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Review

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17 pages, 1144 KiB  
Review
TOR Mediates Stress Responses Through Global Regulation of Metabolome in Plants
by Lin Yang, Ran Zhang, Huan Zhang, Yingyu Yang and Liwen Fu
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(5), 2095; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26052095 - 27 Feb 2025
Viewed by 496
Abstract
The target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase is an evolutionarily conserved atypical Ser/Thr protein kinase present in yeasts, plants, and mammals. In plants, TOR acts as a central signaling hub, playing a pivotal role in the precise orchestration of growth and development. Extensive studies [...] Read more.
The target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase is an evolutionarily conserved atypical Ser/Thr protein kinase present in yeasts, plants, and mammals. In plants, TOR acts as a central signaling hub, playing a pivotal role in the precise orchestration of growth and development. Extensive studies have underscored its significant role in these processes. Recent research has further elucidated TOR’s multifaceted roles in plant stress adaptation. Furthermore, mounting evidence indicates TOR’s role in mediating the plant metabolome. In this review, we will discuss recent findings on the involvement of TOR signaling in plant adaptation to various abiotic and biotic stresses, with a specific focus on TOR-regulated metabolome reprogramming in response to different stresses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signaling and Stress Adaptation in Plants)
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23 pages, 2969 KiB  
Review
Small Interfering RNAs as Critical Regulators of Plant Life Process: New Perspectives on Regulating the Transcriptomic Machinery
by Marta Puchta-Jasińska, Paulina Bolc, Aleksandra Pietrusińska-Radzio, Adrian Motor and Maja Boczkowska
Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2025, 26(4), 1624; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26041624 - 14 Feb 2025
Viewed by 577
Abstract
Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are a distinct class of regulatory RNAs in plants and animals. Gene silencing by small interfering RNAs is one of the fundamental mechanisms for regulating gene expression. siRNAs are critical regulators during developmental processes. siRNAs have similar structures and [...] Read more.
Small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) are a distinct class of regulatory RNAs in plants and animals. Gene silencing by small interfering RNAs is one of the fundamental mechanisms for regulating gene expression. siRNAs are critical regulators during developmental processes. siRNAs have similar structures and functions to small RNAs but are derived from double-stranded RNA and may be involved in directing DNA methylation of target sequences. siRNAs are a less well-studied class than the miRNA group, and researchers continue to identify new classes of siRNAs that appear at specific developmental stages and in particular tissues, revealing a more complex mode of siRNA action than previously thought. This review characterizes the siRNA classes and their biogenesis process and focuses on presenting their known functions in the regulation of plant development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. The review also highlights the exciting potential for future research in this field, proposing methods for detecting plant siRNAs and a bioinformatic pathway for identifying siRNAs and their functions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Signaling and Stress Adaptation in Plants)
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