Search Results (32)

Among the three lineages of bryophytes, liverworts exhibit a wide variety of terpenoid fingerprints. Terpenoids are abundant in the oil bodies of liverworts. Hornworts and mosses are also reported to contain sesqui-, di-, and triterpenoids, although they lack oil bodies. Overall, the abundance of sesquiterpenoids is much greater than that of other types of terpenoid compounds. The occurrence of triterpenoids is very low. Terpenoids found in higher plants are detected in Marchantiophyta in their enantiomeric forms, with a few exceptions. Organic chemists discovered many di- and sesquiterpenoids with interesting carbon skeletons. Bryophytes possess microbial terpene synthase-like enzymes that are different from typical plant terpene synthases. Original research articles and high-quality reviews were extracted from Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Scopus using the keywords “terpenoid diversity”, “terpenoid and chemosystematics”, “terpenoids of bryophytes”, “oil bodies”, “terpene synthase”, “microbial terpene synthase-like enzymes”, and “genomics and terpenoid research progress” to prepare this review. Only the literature published in the English language was considered. This review focused on the terpenoid diversity of bryophytes, including chemosystematics uses, as well as the varying carbon skeletons of terpenoids. Oil body biogenesis and evolution, along with the terpene biosynthesis pathway and related enzymes, are briefly covered. The emergent area of multi-omics approaches may bridge the gap that exists in this field and will also open up future avenues for the use of Marchantia polymorpha or Physcomitrella patens as an efficient tool for specific and valuable terpenoid production. Full article

Starch biosynthesis is a fundamental process influencing yield and fruit quality in banana, with ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase) serving as the rate-limiting enzyme catalyzing sucrose conversion into starch. However, the mechanisms underlying functional differentiation of AGPase family genes following polyploidization remain largely unexplored. In this study, eight AGPase genes, including large (MaAPL) and small subunit (MaAPS) members, were identified from the banana (Musa acuminata) genome, all harboring the conserved ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase domain. Phylogenetic analysis traced their evolutionary origin to the ancient moss Physcomitrella patens, with polyploidization identified as the primary driver of gene family expansion. These genes exhibit conserved codon usage bias and have undergone strong purifying selection. Among them, MaAPS1 displayed distinct functional differentiation, increased intron number, enriched promoter cis-elements, and significantly elevated expression—features likely contributing to its adaptation for enhanced starch accumulation in fruit. Furthermore, the MaAPS1 protein was predominately localized in the chloroplast. Functional validation supported its regulatory involvement: transient silencing in banana fruit reduced starch content, while transient overexpression in banana fruit increased starch levels. Co-expression and molecular docking analyses revealed that transcription factors ERF1, C3H1, bZIP1, and bZIP3 may interact with the MaAPS1 promoter, indicating a multifactorial regulatory network. Overall, this study provides insights into polyploidy-driven functional innovation and transcriptional regulation of MaAPS1 in banana starch biosynthesis, providing valuable molecular targets for genetic improvement of yield and fruit quality. Full article

The moss Physcomitrium patens (P. patens), formerly known as Physcomitrella patens, has ascended to prominence as a pivotal model organism in plant biology. Its simplicity in structure and life cycle, coupled with genetic amenability, has rendered it indispensable in unraveling the complexities of land plant evolution and responses to environmental stimuli. As an evolutionary bridge between algae and vascular plants, P. patens offers a unique perspective on early terrestrial adaptation. This research involved the biotechnological cultivation of P. patens, followed by a deep phytochemical investigation of two extracts covering a large polarity range together using an NMR-based dereplication approach combined with GC/MS analyses. Subsequently, a multidisciplinary approach combining bioinformatics, in-silico techniques, and traditional methods was adopted to uncover intriguing molecules such as the diterpene ceruchinol and its potential receptor interactions for future cosmetic applications. The kaurene diterpene ceruchinol, representing up to 50% of the supercritical CO₂ extract and also identified in the hydroalcoholic extract, was selected for the molecular docking study, which highlighted several biological targets as CAR, AKR1D1, and 17β-HSD1 for potential cosmetic use. These findings offer valuable insights for novel uses of this plant biomass in the future. Full article

MutS homolog 1 (MSH1) is involved in the recombining and repairing of organelle genomes and is essential for maintaining their stability. Previous studies indicated that the length of the gene varied greatly among species and detected species-specific partial gene duplications in Physcomitrella patens. However, there are critical gaps in the understanding of the gene size expansion, and the extent of the partial gene duplication of MSH1 remains unclear. Here, we screened MSH1 genes in 85 selected species with genome sequences representing the main clades of green plants (Viridiplantae). We identified the MSH1 gene in all lineages of green plants, except for nine incomplete species, for bioinformatics analysis. The gene is a singleton gene in most of the selected species with conserved amino acids and protein domains. Gene length varies greatly among the species, ranging from 3234 bp in Ostreococcus tauri to 805,861 bp in Cycas panzhihuaensis. The expansion of MSH1 repeatedly occurred in multiple clades, especially in Gymnosperms, Orchidaceae, and Chloranthus spicatus. MSH1 has exceptionally long introns in certain species due to the gene length expansion, and the longest intron even reaches 101,025 bp. And the gene length is positively correlated with the proportion of the transposable elements (TEs) in the introns. In addition, gene structure analysis indicated that the MSH1 of green plants had undergone parallel intron gains and losses in all major lineages. However, the intron number of seed plants (gymnosperm and angiosperm) is relatively stable. All the selected gymnosperms contain 22 introns except for Gnetum montanum and Welwitschia mirabilis, while all the selected angiosperm species preserve 21 introns except for the ANA grade. Notably, the coding region of MSH1 in algae presents an exceptionally high GC content (47.7% to 75.5%). Moreover, over one-third of the selected species contain species-specific partial gene duplications of MSH1, except for the conserved mosses-specific partial gene duplication. Additionally, we found conserved alternatively spliced MSH1 transcripts in five species. The study of MSH1 sheds light on the evolution of the long genes of green plants. Full article

There exists an obvious gap in our knowledge of the nuclear DNA amount of bryophytes, not only in terms of the low number of species represented, but also in systematic and geographic representation. In order to increase our knowledge of nuclear DNA amounts and variation patterns in bryophytes, and their potential phylogenetic significances and influences on phenotypes, we used flow cytometry to determine the DNA 1C values of 209 bryophyte accessions, which belong to 145 mosses and 18 liverworts collected from China, by using Physcomitrella patens as a standard. We quantified the differences in DNA 1C values among different orders and families and constructed a phylogenetic tree of 112 mosses with four gene sequences (nad5, rbcL, trnL-F, and 18S-ITS1-5.8S-ITS2-26S). DNA 1C values were mapped onto the phylogenetic tree to test a potential phylogenetic signal. We also evaluated the correlations of the DNA 1C value with the sizes of individuals, leaves, cells, and spores by using a phylogenetically controlled analysis. New estimates of nuclear DNA amounts were reported for 145 species. The DNA 1C values of 209 bryophyte accessions ranged from 0.422 pg to 0.860 pg, with an average value of 0.561 pg, and a 2.04-fold variation covered the extremes of all the accessions. Although the values are not significantly different (p = 0.355) between mosses (0.528 pg) and liverworts (0.542 pg), there are variations to varying extents between some families and orders. The DNA 1C value size exerts a positive effect on the sizes of plants, leaves, and cells, but a negative effect on spore size. A weak phylogenetic signal is detected across most moss species. Phylogenetic signals are comparatively strong for some lineages. Our findings show that bryophytes have very small and highly constrained nuclear DNA amounts. There are nucleotype effects of nuclear DNA amounts for bryophytes at the individual, organ, and cell levels. We speculate that smaller nuclear DNA amounts are advantageous for bryophytes in dry environments. Significant differences in the DNA 1C values among some moss families and orders, as well as phylogenetic signals for some lineages, imply that nuclear DNA amount evolution in mosses seems to be unidirectional. Full article

Pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins are one type of helical repeat protein that are widespread in eukaryotes. In particular, there are several hundred PPR members in flowering plants. The majority of PPR proteins are localized in the plastids and mitochondria, where they play a crucial role in various aspects of RNA metabolism at the post-transcriptional and translational steps during gene expression. Among the early land plants, the moss Physcomitrium (formerly Physcomitrella) patens has at least 107 PPR protein-encoding genes, but most of their functions remain unclear. To elucidate the functions of PPR proteins, a reverse-genetics approach has been applied to P. patens. To date, the molecular functions of 22 PPR proteins were identified as essential factors required for either mRNA processing and stabilization, RNA splicing, or RNA editing. This review examines the P. patens PPR gene family and their current functional characterization. Similarities and a diversity of functions of PPR proteins between P. patens and flowering plants and their roles in the post-transcriptional regulation of organellar gene expression are discussed. Full article

Anthracnose caused by the hemibiotroph fungus Colletotrichum gloeosporioides is a devastating plant disease with an extensive impact on plant productivity. The process of colonization and disease progression of C. gloeosporioides has been studied in a number of angiosperm crops. To better understand the evolution of the plant response to pathogens, the study of this complex interaction has been extended to bryophytes. The model moss Physcomitrium patens Hedw. B&S (former Physcomitrella patens) is sensitive to known bacterial and fungal phytopathogens, including C. gloeosporioides, which cause infection and cell death. P. patens responses to these microorganisms resemble that of the angiosperms. However, the molecular events during the interaction of P. patens and C. gloeosporioides have not been explored. In this work, we present a comprehensive approach using microscopy, phenomics and RNA-seq analysis to explore the defense response of P. patens to C. gloeosporioides. Microscopy analysis showed that appressoria are already formed at 24 h after inoculation (hai) and tissue colonization and cell death occur at 24 hai and is massive at 48 hai. Consequently, the phenomics analysis showed progressing browning of moss tissues and impaired photosynthesis from 24 to 48 hai. The transcriptomic analysis revealed that more than 1200 P. patens genes were differentially expressed in response to Colletotrichum infection. The analysis of differentially expressed gene function showed that the C. gloeosporioides infection led to a transcription reprogramming in P. patens that upregulated the genes related to pathogen recognition, secondary metabolism, cell wall reinforcement and regulation of gene expression. In accordance with the observed phenomics results, some photosynthesis and chloroplast-related genes were repressed, indicating that, under attack, P. patens changes its transcription from primary metabolism to defend itself from the pathogen. Full article

Physcomitrium (Physcomitrella) patens is a bryophyte highly tolerant to different stresses, allowing survival when water supply is a limiting factor. This moss lacks a true vascular system, but it has evolved a primitive water-conducting system that contains lignin-like polyphenols. By means of a three-step protocol, including ammonium sulfate precipitation, adsorption chromatography on phenyl Sepharose and cationic exchange chromatography on SP Sepharose, we were able to purify and further characterize a novel class III peroxidase, PpaPrx19, upregulated upon salt and H₂O₂ treatments. This peroxidase, of a strongly basic nature, shows surprising homology to angiosperm peroxidases related to lignification, despite the lack of true lignins in P. patens cell walls. Moreover, PpaPrx19 shows catalytic and kinetic properties typical of angiosperm peroxidases involved in oxidation of monolignols, being able to efficiently use hydroxycinnamyl alcohols as substrates. Our results pinpoint the presence in P. patens of peroxidases that fulfill the requirements to be involved in the last step of lignin biosynthesis, predating the appearance of true lignin. Full article

Development in multicellular organisms relies on cell proliferation and specialization. In plants, both these processes critically depend on the spatial organization of cells within a tissue. Owing to an absence of significant cellular migration, the relative position of plant cells is virtually made permanent at the moment of division. Therefore, in numerous plant developmental contexts, the (divergent) developmental trajectories of daughter cells are dependent on division plane positioning in the parental cell. Prior to and throughout division, specific cellular processes inform, establish and execute division plane control. For studying these facets of division plane control, the moss Physcomitrium (Physcomitrella) patens has emerged as a suitable model system. Developmental progression in this organism starts out simple and transitions towards a body plan with a three-dimensional structure. The transition is accompanied by a series of divisions where cell fate transitions and division plane positioning go hand in hand. These divisions are experimentally highly tractable and accessible. In this review, we will highlight recently uncovered mechanisms, including polarity protein complexes and cytoskeletal structures, and transcriptional regulators, that are required for 1D to 3D body plan formation. Full article

Genes encoding ribosomal RNA (rDNA) are essential for cell survival and are particularly sensitive to factors leading to genomic instability. Their repetitive character makes them prone to inappropriate recombinational events arising from collision of transcriptional and replication machineries, resulting in unstable rDNA copy numbers. In this review, we summarize current knowledge on the structure and organization of rDNA, its role in sensing changes in the genome, and its linkage to aging. We also review recent findings on the main factors involved in chromatin assembly and DNA repair in the maintenance of rDNA stability in the model plants Arabidopsis thaliana and the moss Physcomitrella patens, providing a view across the plant evolutionary tree. Full article

Botrytis cinerea is a necrotrophic pathogen that causes grey mold in many plant species, including crops and model plants of angiosperms. B. cinerea also infects and colonizes the bryophyte Physcomitrium patens (previously Physcomitrella patens), which perceives the pathogen and activates defense mechanisms. However, these defenses are not sufficient to stop fungal invasion, leading finally to plant decay. To gain more insights into B. cinerea infection and virulence strategies displayed during moss colonization, we performed genome wide transcriptional profiling of B. cinerea during different infection stages. We show that, in total, 1015 B. cinerea genes were differentially expressed in moss tissues. Expression patterns of upregulated genes and gene ontology enrichment analysis revealed that infection of P. patens tissues by B. cinerea depends on reactive oxygen species generation and detoxification, transporter activities, plant cell wall degradation and modification, toxin production and probable plant defense evasion by effector proteins. Moreover, a comparison with available RNAseq data during angiosperm infection, including Arabidopsis thaliana, Solanum lycopersicum and Lactuca sativa, suggests that B. cinerea has virulence and infection functions used in all hosts, while others are more specific to P. patens or angiosperms. Full article

In conventional light microscopy, the adjacent cell walls of filamentous moss protonemata are seen from its narrow side thereby obscuring the major area of cell–cell connection. Optical sectioning, segmentation and 3D reconstructions allow the tilting and rotation of intracellular structures thereby greatly improving our understanding of interaction between organelles, membranes and the cell wall. Often, the findings also allow for conclusions on the respective functions. The moss Physcomitrium (Physcomitrella) patens is a model organism for growth, development and morphogenesis. Its filamentous protonemata are ideal objects for microscopy. Here, we investigated the cell wall between two neighboring cells and the connection of membranes towards this wall after plasmolysis in 0.8 M mannitol. An m-green fluorescent protein (GFP)-HDEL cell line was used to visualize the endoplasmatic reticulum (ER), the plasma membrane (PM) was stained with FM4-64. Our studies clearly show the importance of cell–cell contacts in P. patens protonemata. In 86% of the investigated cell pairs, at least one of the protoplasts remained fully attached to the adjacent cell wall. By tilting of z-stacks, volume renderings and 3D reconstructions, we visualized the amount of attached/detached PM and ER components after plasmolysis and membrane piercings through the wall of cell neighbors. Full article

Nitric oxide (NO) has been recognized as a major player in the regulation of plant physiology and development. NO regulates cell cycle progression and cell elongation in flowering plants and green algae, although the information about NO function in non-vascular plants is scarce. Here, we analyze the effect of exogenous NO on Physcomitrella patens protonema growth. We find that increasing concentrations of the NO donor sodium nitroprusside (SNP) inhibit protonema relative growth rate and cell length. To further comprehend the effect of NO on moss development, we analyze the effect of SNP 5 and 10 µM on protoplast regeneration and, furthermore, protonema formation compared with untreated plants (control). Isolated protoplasts were left to regenerate for 24 h before starting the SNP treatments that lasted five days. The results show that SNP restrains the protoplast regeneration process and the formation of new protonema cells. When SNP treatments started five days after protoplast isolation, a decrease in cell number per protonema filament was observed, indicating an inhibition of cell cycle progression. Our results show that in non-vascular plants, NO negatively regulates plant regeneration, cell cycle and cell elongation. Full article

The kinetics of biological reactions depends on the deuterium/protium (D/H) ratio in water. In this work, we describe the kinetic model of biocatalytic reactions in living organisms depending on the D/H ratio. We show that a change in the lifetime or other characteristics of the vital activity of some organisms in response to a decrease or increase in the content of deuterium in the environment can be a sign of a difference in taxons. For animals—this is a curve with saturation according to the Gauss’s principle, for plants—it is the Poisson dependence, for bacteria a weakly saturated curve with a slight reaction to the deuterium/protium ratio toward increasing deuterium. The biological activity of the aquatic environment with reduced, elevated, and natural concentrations of deuterium is considered. The results of the study are presented in different vital indicators of some taxons: the bacteria kingdom—the colony forming units (CFU) index (Escherichia coli); animals—the activation energy of the death of ciliates (Spirostomum ambiguum), embryogenesis of fish (Brachydanio rerio); plants—germination and accumulation of trace elements Callisia fragrans L., sprouting of gametophores and peptidomics of moss Physcomitrella patens. It was found that many organisms change their metabolism and activity, responding to both high and low concentrations of deuterium in water. Full article

Plasmolysis is usually introduced to cell biology students as a tool to illustrate the plasma membrane: hypertonic solutions cause the living protoplast to shrink by osmotic water loss; hence, it detaches from the surrounding cell wall. What happens, however, with the subcellular structures in the cell cortex during this process of turgor loss? Here, we investigated the cortical endoplasmic reticulum (ER) in moss protonema cells of Physcomitrella patens in a cell line carrying a transgenic ER marker (GFP-HDEL). The plasma membrane was labelled simultaneously with the fluorescent dye FM4-64 to achieve structural separation. By placing the protonemata in a hypertonic mannitol solution (0.8 M), we were able to follow the behaviour of the cortical ER and the protoplast during plasmolysis by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). The protoplast shape and structural changes of the ER were further examined after depolymerisation of actin microfilaments with latrunculin B (1 µM). In its natural state, the cortical ER is a dynamic network of fine tubes and cisternae underneath the plasma membrane. Under acute and long-term plasmolysis (up to 45 min), changes in the protoplast form and the cortical ER, as well as the formation of Hechtian strands and Hechtian reticula, were observed. The processing of the high-resolution z-scans allowed the creation of 3D models and gave detailed insight into the ER of living protonema cells before, during and after plasmolysis. Full article