Search Results (1,180)

Copper ions (Cu²⁺) and intracellular biothiols are tightly coupled in cellular redox regulation, where copper–thiol coordination governs oxidative stress and metal homeostasis. However, analytical platforms capable of sequentially monitoring Cu²⁺ and biothiols within a single molecular system remain scarce. Herein, we report a coumarin-based fluorescent probe XDP that enables sequential ON–OFF–ON sensing of Cu²⁺ and biothiols through a coordination–competition mechanism. The imine (C=N) site of XDP selectively coordinates Cu²⁺, leading to fluorescence quenching arising from coordination-induced electronic perturbation and enhanced nonradiative decay. The probe exhibits a linear response toward Cu²⁺ over 1–80 μM with a detection limit of 0.108 μM. Subsequent competitive binding of biothiols (GSH, Cys, and Hcy) releases Cu²⁺ from the complex, thereby restoring fluorescence and enabling detection within 1–30 μM with submicromolar sensitivity. XDP also displays a large Stokes shift (135 nm), which minimizes spectral overlap and improves signal reliability. Notably, Cu²⁺ binding triggers a distinct color change that supports naked-eye detection and smartphone-based RGB quantification. The probe further enables visualization of Cu²⁺ and thiol-triggered signal recovery in living cells and zebrafish. This work establishes a versatile analytical platform for probing copper–thiol interactions in environmental and biological systems. Full article

Abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, alkalinity, temperature extremes, flooding, heavy metals, and emerging pollutants, challenge plant growth and productivity by disturbing water relations, ion balance, redox homeostasis, membrane stability, energy metabolism, and developmental progression. Although substantial progress has been made in the identification of stress-responsive hormones, second messengers, kinases, transcription factors, transporters, and metabolic regulators, plant stress adaptation cannot be fully explained by linear signaling cascades or single tolerance genes. A major unresolved question is how early molecular events are reorganized into coordinated physiological and developmental outputs that support survival, recovery, and productivity. In this review, we propose an intermolecular interaction-driven adaptive remodeling framework for plant abiotic stress responses. This framework emphasizes that stress tolerance emerges from dynamic changes in receptor–ligand recognition, protein–protein interactions, calcium decoding, redox-sensitive modification, phosphorylation networks, transcriptional regulation, chromatin-associated control, and metabolite-mediated feedback. We further emphasize ROS as integrative redox switches that connect stress sensing, defense activation, senescence-related transitions, and recovery, and chromatin-associated mechanisms as regulators that may stabilize primed or memory-like adaptive states. We discuss how these interaction networks converge on core signaling hubs, including abscisic acid, reactive oxygen species, Ca²⁺, and kinase/phosphatase systems, and how they remodel stomatal behavior, root architecture, ion and pH homeostasis, redox buffering, metabolism, development, and reproductive resilience. We further highlight how natural variation, multi-omics, genome editing, high-throughput phenotyping, and field validation can translate interaction-centered stress biology into crop resilience. This perspective provides a conceptual bridge between molecular stress perception, network behavior, physiological adaptation, and climate-resilient agriculture. Full article

Ventricular remodeling occurring in heart failure (HF) involves structural disarray of the sarcolemma T-tubule (TT)–sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) dyad junctions, thereby disrupting the close apposition of L-type Ca²⁺ channels (Ca_V1.2) with ryanodine receptors (RyR2) that trigger SR Ca²⁺ release and myofilament contraction. In a rat ischemic heart failure model expressing low thyroid hormone (TH) function, we used 3D stochastic optical reconstruction microscopy (STORM) to image RyR2 clusters with Ca_V1.2 channels, and the associated protein junctophilin-2 (Jph2). We tested whether treatment with T3, the biologically active form of TH, throughout progression of the disease would preserve T-tubule structure and dyadic ion channel organization. Confocal microscopy of isolated cardiomyocytes (CMs) stained with ANEPPS membrane dye showed significantly decreased TT density in diseased CMs while T3 treatment attenuated TT disorganization. 3D STORM images of dyadic ion channels labeled with fluorescent-tagged antibodies to RyR-Dylight550, Jph-CF647 and Ca_V1.2/IgG-Dylight488 were captured. A density-based algorithm defined RyR2 clusters, and a 400 nm spherical 3D volume of interest around each RyR2 cluster’s centroid determined the number of Ca_V1.2 and Jph2 localizations associated with each RyR2 cluster. Analysis revealed significant reduction in RyR2 cluster size and number with reduced co-localized Jph2 in failing CMs. T3 treatment increased RyR2 cluster numbers and cluster volumes albeit non-significantly, with increased co-clustering of Jph2. The number of Ca_V1.2 co-localized with RyR2 clusters trended lower in the failing CMs. These results support maintaining TH homeostasis in optimizing the nanoscale organization of Ca²⁺ ion channels in triggering Ca²⁺ release and myofibrillar contraction in patients with heart disease. Full article

Climate change is intensifying soil salinization, posing a major threat to crop establishment and productivity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions. Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), one of the most salt-tolerant cereals, offers valuable genetic resources for improving salinity resilience at early growth stages. This study exploited the genetic diversity of the Nested Association Mapping (NAM) population Halle Exotic Barley-25 (HEB-25) to dissect salinity tolerance during germination and seedling developmental stages. First, the HEB-25 parental lines (25 wild barley genotypes and cv. Barke) were evaluated under salinity treatment to identify contrasting responses. Based on this screening, four HEB families (01, 04, 09, and 22) were selected out of 25 HEB families for detailed phenotypic and genomic analysis. Seeds of the selected HEB families were subjected to 40% seawater salinity stress and control treatments to assess germination percentage and seedling traits, including shoot length, root length, fresh weight (FW), dry weight (DW), DW/FW ratio, root–shoot ratio, and salt tolerance index (STI). Substantial variation was observed among families for all measured traits under salinity stress. STI values enabled clear differentiation among families: Family 01 exhibited the most consistent overall tolerance profile, Family 22 showed the strongest sensitivity in biomass traits, and Family 04 displayed a trait-specific response with sensitivity at the family-mean level but exceptional within-family diversity, harboring some of the highest individual TI values across the population. A genome-wide association study was conducted using 32,995 SNP markers. A total of 27 significant SNPs were identified, corresponding to 20 quantitative trait loci (QTLs). Of these, 12 QTLs were detected under control conditions, 16 under seawater treatment, and 21 based on tolerance indices, indicating both constitutive and stress-responsive genetic effects. Gene annotation within these regions revealed approximately 23 candidate genes associated with abiotic stress tolerance, including genes involved in ion transport, osmotic adjustment, kinases and stress signaling pathways. HEB_22_003, HEB_04_087, and HEB_01_013 represent the most promising genotypes for salinity breeding. These findings highlight the effectiveness of combining precise phenotyping with high-resolution genomic analysis in the HEB-25 population to uncover the genetic architecture of salinity tolerance at early developmental stages. We identified 20 salinity-responsive QTLs, including five major-effect loci on chromosomes 2H, 4H, 5H, and 7H that consistently explained the largest share of phenotypic variation. These loci co-localized with candidate genes linked to ion homeostasis, Ca²⁺-mediated signaling, protein glycosylation, epigenetic regulation, and root system plasticity, revealing key mechanisms underlying early-stage salt adaptation in barley. The strong and contrasting responses of Family 01 and Family 04 provide an excellent genetic framework for functional validation of tolerance alleles. Collectively, these genomic resources establish a robust foundation for QTL pyramiding, marker-assisted breeding, and the development of climate-resilient barley cultivars for saline agroecosystems. Full article

Thinopyrum ponticum, a salt-tolerant grass widely used in the restoration of saline–alkali lands, was the focus of this study. Two accessions with contrasting salt tolerance—‘4–6’ (salt tolerant) and ‘5–22’ (salt sensitive)—were watered with 500 mM NaCl solution for 14 days, and seedling growth and physiological responses were assessed. Salt stress significantly inhibited the growth of both accessions, but ‘4–6’ was less impacted. Morphologically, ‘4–6’ adapted to stress by increasing the root-to-shoot ratio, increasing leaf length, and decreasing leaf width. In contrast, the growth of ‘5–22’ was comprehensively inhibited, with significant reductions in fresh weight, dry weight, leaf length, and leaf area. Physiologically, the contents of malondialdehyde and proline increased in both accessions, but ‘4–6’ exhibited stronger antioxidant capacity and more flexible regulation of sugar metabolism (with sucrose decreasing while fructose and glucose increased) to maintain osmotic balance. In comparison, ‘5–22’ showed dysregulated sugar metabolism, characterized by sucrose accumulation and a decrease in fructose, which exacerbated salt damage. Regarding hormones under salt stress, IAA content increased in leaves of ‘4–6’ but decreased in ‘5–22’. Jasmonate-related hormones decreased in both accessions; however, ‘4–6’ maintained higher basal levels and smaller reductions, indicating stronger hormonal regulation capacity. Correlation analysis confirmed that IAA- and JA-related hormones play important roles in salt tolerance of Thinopyrum ponticum. In terms of ion balance, ‘4–6’ maintained higher K⁺/Na⁺ and Ca²⁺/Na⁺ ratios, promoted beneficial cation transport to shoots, and restricted Cl⁻ accumulation. In contrast, ‘5–22’ suffered from disrupted ion balance and excessive Cl⁻ accumulation, resulting in severe growth inhibition. In addition, the key indicators screened by RDA provide an important reference for revealing the salt tolerance mechanism of Thinopyrum ponticum and for constructing a corresponding evaluation system. This study elucidates the mechanisms underlying differential salt tolerance among Thinopyrum ponticum accessions, highlighting the coordinated role of hormonal reprogramming and ion homeostasis. These findings offer both theoretical insights and practical guidance for breeding new salt-tolerant varieties of Thinopyrum ponticum and for the amelioration of saline–alkali lands. Full article

Strigolactones (SLs) have emerged as important regulators of plant adaptation to abiotic stress, functioning not as isolated hormones but as integrative signaling molecules. Beyond stress responses, SLs regulate key biological processes, including shoot branching, root architecture, leaf senescence, nutrient acquisition, rhizosphere communication, flowering-related development, and growth–developmental plasticity. This review synthesizes current knowledge on how SLs modulate plant responses to drought, salinity, heavy metal toxicity, high temperature, and low temperature through crosstalk with abscisic acid, auxin, cytokinin, ethylene, and gibberellin. We examine SL structural diversity, biosynthesis, transport, and signaling together with their roles in growth–stress coordination, hormonal networking, and stress-specific mitigation, while distinguishing endogenous SL functions from responses inferred from exogenous analogs such as GR24. Across stresses, SL-mediated resilience converges on adaptive modules, including water regulation, root–shoot architectural remodeling, redox protection, ion and osmotic homeostasis, photosynthetic maintenance, and rhizosphere-assisted resource acquisition. The mechanistic basis involves transcriptional reprogramming, ROS/RNS-linked redox regulation, metabolic protection, and root–microbe interactions. Translational prospects include SL analogs, genetic manipulation, and breeding for adaptive plasticity, nutrient efficiency, and stress tolerance. However, species specificity, dosage dependence, limited field validation, unclear structure–function relationships, and parasitic-weed stimulation remain major constraints. Full article

Soil salinity severely restricts castor (Ricinus communis L.) seed germination, yet the molecular basis of this trait remains poorly understood. Here, we identified and functionally characterized RcnsLTPC, a nonspecific lipid transfer protein gene strongly induced by salt stress, which encodes a plasma membrane-localized nsLTP1 protein. Promoter analyses indicated that RcnsLTPC is responsive to stress-, hormone-, and light-related signals, supporting its potential role in environmental adaptation. Heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and overexpression in Nicotiana tabacum consistently demonstrated that RcnsLTPC acts as a positive regulator of salt tolerance, improving germination, root development, biomass accumulation, antioxidant capacity, and ion homeostasis under NaCl stress. Notably, ZnO-NPs priming further amplified the protective effects of RcnsLTPC, suggesting a synergistic interaction between nanopriming and gene-mediated stress adaptation. Collectively, these findings establish RcnsLTPC as a key regulator of salt tolerance in castor and provide a conceptual basis for combining nanotechnology with genetic enhancement to improve crop performance on saline soils. Full article

This narrative review synthesizes current knowledge on MADS-Box 27 (OsMADS27), a member of the AGL17 clade in rice that has emerged as a regulatory node linking nitrate signaling, root development, and abiotic stress tolerance. Because most functional and mechanistic studies on OsMADS27 to date have been conducted in rice, this review is centered on Oryza sativa, with cross-species comparisons used for evolutionary and comparative context. Specifically, we summarize the gene and protein structure, phylogenetic position, expression profile, upstream and downstream regulation, and emerging functional significance of OsMADS27. OsMADS27 is a typical MIKC-type MADS-box protein with root-preferential expression, and its activity is strongly influenced by nitrate availability and miR444-mediated regulation. Evidence from functional genomics, transcriptomics, ChIP-based studies, and transgenic analyses suggests that OsMADS27 contributes to the regulation of root architecture, nitrate uptake, hormonal crosstalk, and stress-responsive pathways. Notably, OsMADS27 enhances salt tolerance through nitrate-dependent activation of downstream targets such as OsHKT1;1 and OsSPL7, contributing to ion homeostasis and salinity tolerance. Recent findings also suggest roles in grain size regulation and yield improvement, expanding its significance beyond root biology. This review compares OsMADS27 with AGL17-clade genes and highlights its value for crop improvement aimed at salinity tolerance and nitrogen use efficiency. However, important research gaps remain, particularly the limited field-level validation, the absence of integrated multi-omics analyses, and the lack of functional studies of OsMADS27 orthologs in non-rice crops. Overall, OsMADS27 represents promising rice-centered target for future biotechnology applications, while its translational relevance to other cereals remains to be established through orthology analysis and field-level evaluation. Full article

Transient receptor potential vanilloid 5 (TRPV5) is a calcium- and pH-sensitive ion channel. It plays a role in tumor biology and cellular calcium homeostasis. Due to the inverse pH gradient in solid tumors (extracellular acidosis and increased intracellular pH), TRPV5 is interesting as a signaling molecule in tumors, as the altered pH in the tumor microenvironment (TME) impacts tumor growth and metastasis. This is the first study to analyze the expression of TRPV5 in common skin cancers, i.e., basal cell carcinomas (BCC), squamous cell carcinomas (SCC), malignant melanomas (MM) and melanocytic nevi (MCN). The results showed a significantly lower expression of TRPV5 in BCC than in all other tumor entities analyzed. While less than half of the BCC were positive for TRPV5, SCC, MM, and MCN exhibited a high level of positive staining results. These results suggest that TRPV5 may especially help as a novel marker in the differentiation of SCC from BCC. The low expression of TRPV5 in BCC, a rarely metastatic tumor, may also point to a role of TRPV5 in the progression of epithelial skin tumors. Further functional studies, however, are needed to clarify the exact role of TRPV5 in skin tumors. Full article

Plants are constantly exposed to diverse abiotic stresses, including drought, salinity, and extreme temperatures, which severely limit growth, development, and crop productivity. These stresses disrupt physiological, biochemical, and molecular processes, leading to reduced photosynthesis, altered water and ion homeostasis, and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Plants have evolved sophisticated sensing and signaling mechanisms to perceive these stresses, with phytohormones playing central roles in mediating adaptive responses. Key hormones, including abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA), jasmonates (JAs), gibberellins (GAs), auxin (IAA), ethylene (ET), melatonin, and strigolactones (SLs), regulate stress tolerance by controlling stomatal behavior, root architecture, antioxidant systems, osmolyte accumulation, and stress-responsive gene expression. Importantly, these hormones operate within an intricate network of crosstalk, integrating multiple signaling pathways to balance growth and stress adaptation. Interactions among ABA, GA, JA, SA, auxin, ET, SLs, and melatonin enable plants to coordinate transcriptional regulation, protein phosphorylation, and ROS signaling, optimizing survival under fluctuating environmental conditions. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying hormonal crosstalk and their roles in abiotic stress tolerance provides valuable insights for developing resilient crops in the face of climate change. Full article

Background/Objectives: Osteoporosis poses significant obstacles as it causes an imbalance between osteoblasts and adipocytes, which results in the disruption of bone homeostasis. Although various magnesium-based scaffolds have been deployed for the treatment of osteoporotic bone defects, whether this can be achieved by alleviating bone–fat imbalance still requires further elucidation. Methods: We designed magnesium phosphate-based platforms (GMPCs), based on magnesium photopolymerized methacrylated gelatin (GelMA) and phosphate (K-struvite, MPC), and used them to deliver magnesium ions (Mg²⁺) for alleviating bone–fat imbalance locally. Results: The in vivo results demonstrated that the GMPCs not only improved osteogenic behavior at the implanted site, but also reduced the proportion of adipose tissues in a femoral defect model in 18-month-old SD rats. Moreover, by promoting the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) into osteoblasts in a concentration-dependent manner, GMPCs significantly reduced adipogenic differentiation in vitro. Also, 5GMPC demonstrated the best comprehensive biologic properties compared to other platforms. Conclusions: GMPCs have great potential in the treatment of age-related osteoporosis via the effective delivery of Mg²⁺. Full article

Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) dysfunction is increasingly recognized as a key contributor to a broad spectrum of human diseases beyond classical cystic fibrosis (CF). CFTR is a cAMP-regulated chloride and bicarbonate ion channel expressed in both epithelial and non-epithelial tissues, where it regulates ion homeostasis, mucosal hydration, and cellular signaling. Both inherited CFTR mutations and acquired dysfunction resulting from environmental or inflammatory factors can disrupt these physiological processes and drive disease progression. Current evidence linking CFTR dysregulation to respiratory diseases, such as cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, and HIV-associated airway disease, as well as cardiovascular, renal, neurological diseases, and cancer, is comprehensively discussed. Mechanistically, impaired CFTR function promotes oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, epithelial barrier dysfunction, altered mucociliary clearance, and dysregulation of signaling pathways, including NF-κB, TGF-β, PI3K/Akt, MAPK, and Wnt/β-catenin. In the context of HIV infection and cigarette smoke exposure, CFTR suppression is mediated in part by TGF-β signaling and miRNA-dependent mechanisms, resulting in compromised airway defense and increased susceptibility to pulmonary complications. Recent studies further demonstrate that CFTR dysregulation alters the expression of genes involved in fibrosis, inflammation, angiogenesis, and epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Notably, CFTR may act as either a tumor suppressor or a context-dependent oncogene, depending on tissue type and signaling milieu, highlighting its complex role in cancer biology. Advances in CFTR-targeted therapies, including potentiators, correctors, gene therapy, and combination approaches, have markedly improved outcomes in CF and may offer therapeutic potential for diseases associated with acquired CFTR dysfunction. We summarize the systemic consequences of CFTR dysregulation and the need for further mechanistic and translational research to clarify its role across diverse human diseases. Full article

Cadmium (Cd) is one of the most toxic heavy metals in the environment, and it severely represses photosynthesis, growth, development and nutrient uptake in photosynthetic organisms. Excessive cadmium (Cd) taken up by plants seriously threatens global food security and human health. Therefore, designing an eco-friendly and sustainable strategy that can reduce the accumulation of Cd in plants is a major challenge. Phosphorus (P), as an essential nutrient for plant growth, has been shown to play a pivotal role in mediating Cd-induced stress response. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the crosstalk between phosphate signaling and Cd stress response remain largely uncharacterized, especially the role of the core phosphate homeostasis regulator Phosphate Starvation Response 1 (PSR1). Here, we used the model green microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to investigate the physiological and transcriptomic responses to Cd stress in wild type (WT, CC-125) and PSR1 loss-of-function mutant (Crpsr1, CC-4267). Our results showed that the Crpsr1 mutant exhibited significantly enhanced Cd tolerance compared with WT under P-sufficient conditions, with a better growth phenotype and a significantly lower Cd accumulation. Transcriptome analysis revealed distinct gene expression profiles between WT and the Crpsr1 mutant in response to Cd treatment. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly involved in primary metabolism, protein kinase activity, ion binding and transmembrane transport, which are critical processes for mitigating Cd stress. Notably, key genes associated with iron uptake and homeostasis were significantly upregulated in the Crpsr1 mutant under Cd stress, indicating a potential regulatory link between PSR1, iron homeostasis and Cd tolerance. Taken together, our findings establish a functional association between the central phosphate signaling regulator PSR1 and Cd stress response in green microalgae, and provide novel candidate genes and regulatory networks for developing engineered microalgae with enhanced Cd phytoremediation capacity. Full article

Salinity stress progressively restricts rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) growth and productivity. However, the molecular mechanism underlying its tolerance remains poorly understood. This study aims to shed light on differential responses between shoots and roots, and further clarify the regulatory mechanisms of ion homeostasis and oxidative defense under early-and long-term salt stress. Under salt stress, the Na⁺/K⁺ ratio increased by 46.26% and 26.33% in shoots and roots, respectively. Activities of SOD and POD increased in both tissues, while CAT activity declined in shoots. MDA content was significantly higher in roots. Transcriptome PCA clearly separated samples of early-term (3–48 h for shoots, 3–24 h for roots) from long-term (72 h 25 d for shoots, 48 h 25 d for roots) salt stress. SOD2 and UGT72E1 were significantly up-regulated in shoots but down-regulated in roots. CAT2 exhibited strongly up-regulation in roots than shoots, whereas RBOHC was markedly down-regulated in roots relative to shoots. Additionally, CAT1 was mainly up-regulated at the early-term salt stress. Most DEGs involved in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis (CYP73A5, PAL2, CCR1/2, CAD1/5, COMT1 and PER66) were up-regulated in both tissues. Notably, HCT and CSE exhibited a striking tissue-specific antioxidant pattern, down-regulated in shoots but up-regulated in roots. PER34 was specifically induced at early-term, and PER31/63/169 were exclusively activated under long-term salt stress in roots. Moreover, we performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) to describe tissue- and time-specific transcriptional dynamics that occur in rapeseed under salt stress. Several hub genes, including ABI5, MPK6, CAD5, NADK1 and LFG2, exhibited high correlations with early-term salt stress responses in roots. These genes are mainly enriched in transcription factors and hormone signaling pathways, and function in antioxidant defense and redox homeostasis. This study suggests distinct spatiotemporal salt stress response patterns in rapeseed and identifies key genes for salt-tolerance breeding. Full article

Salt stress remains a major global stress factor among abiotic stresses limiting crop production. Salt stress is a major nutritional challenge, with poor agricultural production characterized by high soil sodium (Na⁺) levels in soil and plants. Soil salinity negatively affects plants through both osmotic effects and ionic toxicity. Hence, one of the main aims of agricultural scientists is to develop eco-friendly, sustainable solutions to alleviate soil salinity. Over the past decades, several studies have recommended biochar as a vital sustainable soil amendment to alleviate the negative consequences of soil salinity. Thus, this review builds on the literature on biochar-mediated alleviation of salt stress. Biochar is a carbon-rich material produced from biomass and feedstock via pyrolysis under little or no oxygen conditions. Due to its unique characteristics, such as high carbon, high surface area with porous and aromatic structure, high pH, high stability, cation exchange capacity, and water and nutrient retention capacity, it is considered an alternative for salt stress alleviation. Moreover, biochar facilitates sodium ion (Na⁺) adsorption, reduces Na⁺ uptake, and increases potassium ion (K⁺) uptake, enhancing nutrient cycling, helping plants maintain ionic balance and osmotic regulation. This, in turn, significantly increased the activity and diversity of soil microorganisms, enhanced their adhesion, and promoted their growth, thereby strengthening the plant’s salt resistance. Moreover, biochar-mediated improvements in microbial community dynamics and changes in the physical and biological properties of soil contribute to overall plant and soil health under salt stress. Hence, the present review aims to decipher the holistic patterns of biochar on soil and plant health, changes in physiological and defense mechanisms, plant hormones and signaling mechanisms, and the status of modified biochar under salt stress. Thus, the present review will pave the way for the production of salt-resilient crops with enhanced salinity tolerance. In conclusion, the use of biochar-based fertilizers and modified biochar enhanced microbial community dynamics in soil health homeostasis and soil fertility for agricultural production and food security. Full article