Hormones play a crucial role both in plants and animals. As we all known, hormones work through specific receptors in different organisms. Therefore, the hormone interaction between plant and animal is an interesting question worth discussing. Recently, food safety has become a common topic concerned by consumers. A widely discussed rumor such as “Fruit bulking agent is some human reproductive hormones” leads us to consider whether animal hormones did regulate plant growth. Based on the large amount of previous research, we demonstrated that animal hormones did affect plant, such as steroid hormones for livestock feed could regulate physiological processes in plant including flowering, senescence and stress resistance after excreted into the environment. Here, we summarize the previous studies and systematically discuss the effects of animal hormones on plant growth and development.

With the intensification of global warming, rice production is facing new challenges. Field evidence indicates increased temperature during rice grain-filling lead to a further deterioration of grain quality. Clarifying the potential regulation mechanism of elevated temperature on rice development and quality formation will be contributed to develop suitable cultivation measures to better cope with climate warming in the future. In this study, open field warming and DIA mass spectrometry were conducted to explore the regulatory effects of high temperature on pathways related to grain development and material accumulation during the formation of rice quality. 840 differentially expressed proteins (fold change > 2, p-value < 0.05) were identified when exposed to high temperature. Among these, prolamin PPROL 14E, PSB28, granule-bound starch synthase 1 and 26.7 kDa heat shock protein were the most significantly regulated, and that ultimately affected the main substances accumulation of starch and protein in the kernel, and further degraded rice quality under high temperature. In addition, the results provided novel targets involved in regulating the metabolism of storage compounds under warming environment, and that will help us to better understand the regulation mechanism of global warming on the formation of rice quality.

This study investigated some physiological features in a 20-year-old ‘Italia’ vineyard cropped in Apulia, Italy. Five vines with brown-wood-streaking associated to Phaeoacremonium minimum (sin. Pm. aleophilum) and Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (BWSV), five with brown-wood-streaking and white-rot caused by Fomitiporia mediterranea (BWSWRV) and five healthy vines (HV) were surveyed. Bleeding xylem sap (BXS) collected at bud-break, symptomless and symptomatic leaves taken during stretched-out leaves, fruit setting, cluster closing and bunch ripening phenological phases were characterized. BXS from HV showed the highest total ascorbic acid level, while BWSWRV had the highest viscosity coefficient, glutathione concentration and growth regulators activity. Low fresh and dry weight, total chlorophyll concentration and the hight leaf surface, hydrogen peroxide and cell membranes damage were detected in leaves of diseased vines. Symptomless and symptomatic leaves of BWSV and BWSWRV exhibited low concentrations of ascorbic acid, reduced glutathione and redox state; moderate levels of dehydroascorbic acid and oxidized glutathione. Higher dehydroascorbate reductase and low ascorbate free radical reductase and glutathione reductase activities were showed by leaves collected from diseased vines. However, no differences were detected in ascorbate peroxidase activity. The decrease of oxidative status alters cell membranes integrity and could contribute to cell death and symptoms development on leaves.

Each seed phenotypic trait may be influenced by its metabolite composition which varies during seed development and -maturation. Therefore, the metabolic components of dry seeds may represent the maternal environment under which seeds developed and matured. The natural variation of seed metabolite composition has been previously studied and several QTLs were detected regulating this variation. Here a generalized genetical genomics (GGG) approach was used for the metabolic analysis of a recombinant inbred (RIL) population obtained from a cross between two tomato species: Solanum lycopersicum and Solanum pimpinellifolium. The RILs and parental lines were grown in two maternal environments: high phosphate and low nitrate nutrition. A correlation analysis of metabolite composition and seed phenotypic traits indicated several relations between metabolite contents and seed quality traits such as seed size, seed weight and seed germination percentage. Seed size and -weight exhibited a positive correlation with several amino acids and some intermediates of the TCA cycle, such as succinate, citrate and malate. By performing metabolic correlation analysis and also generating metabolite networks and combining these with QTL analysis, several relevant mQTLs were identified. We showed that dry seed metabolites and QTLs regulating them are modulated by genetic factors, maternal environment and their interaction.

In plants Heat Shock Factors (HSFs) are encoded by large gene families and are primary regulators of responses not only to high temperatures but also to a number of other abiotic stresses and pathogen threats. Here we provide an overview of the diverse world of the plant HSFs through analysis of their functional versatility, regulation and interactions. HSFs can regulate tolerance to a number of extreme conditions including high or low temperatures, drought, hypoxic conditions, soil salinity, toxic minerals, strong irradiation or pathogen defenses. Variability is reflected in expression control with considerable differences in transcript profiles of individual HSF genes. Moreover, alternative splicing and posttranslational modifications provides further variability. HSFs are involved in complex web of protein-protein interactions which include formation of homomeric and heteromeric HSF trimers, and complexes with a number of other regulatory proteins including transcription regulators, chromatin-associated proteins or heat shock proteins (HSPs). Interactions of the Arabidopsis HSFA4A with proteins which control transcription, cellular homeostasis, responses to different stresses and programmed cell death, illustrate the complexity of the regulatory networks related to a plant HSF. Diversity in plant HSFs facilitates the adaptation to multiple adverse environmental conditions, an important feature in response to climate change.

In the mechanisms of stomatal opening, the transports of osmotic materials between the guard cell cytoplasm and vacuole have not been studied much. There were also important lacks of understanding about tonoplast transport proteins and channels. Tonoplast has been found to have many types of channels related to K+ transport, among which are inward-K+ channels/FV, outward-K+ channels/FV, outward-TPK/VK channels and TPC1/SV channels. The two H+ transport enzymes in tonoplast, H+-ATPase and H+-PPase, transport H+ from the cytoplasm to vacuole very actively. They serve to create an ideal pH condition between vacuole and cytoplasm to facilitate the many metabolisms in the cell. The cytosolic K+ cannot easily enter the vacuole to fill the charge balances, because vacuole is too full of positive charges. Therefore, in order to increase the osmotic pressure of the guard cell vacuole, it is necessary to transport solute that can replace K+. Tonoplast contains sucrose-H+ antiports, an active transport protein that can transport cytoplasmic sucrose to vacuole. Although various solutes including K+ are required for stomata to open, sucrose is believed to be the most important substance that can increase the vacuole’s osmotic pressure.

Plants in dryland ecosystems experience extreme daily and seasonal fluctuations in light, temperature, and water availability. We used an in-situ field experiment to uncover the effects of natural and reduced levels of UV on maximum PSII quantum efficiency (Fv/Fm), relative abundance of photosynthetic pigments and antioxidants, and the transcriptome in the desiccation-tolerant desert moss Syntrichia caninervis. We tested the hypotheses that: (1) S. caninervis plants undergo sustained thermal quenching of light (non-photochemical quenching; NPQ) while desiccated and after rehydration, (2) a reduction of UV will result in improved recovery of Fv/Fm, but (3) one year of UV removal will de-harden plants and increase vulnerability UV damage to photosynthetic efficiency. All field-collected plants had extremely low Fv/Fm after initial rehydration but recovered over eight days in lab-simulated winter conditions. UV-filtered plants had lower Fv/Fm during recovery, higher concentrations of photoprotective pigments and antioxidants such as zeaxanthin and tocopherols, and lower concentrations neoxanthin and chlorophyll b than plants exposed to near natural UV levels. Field-grown S. caninervis underwent sustained NPQ that took days to relax and for efficient photosynthesis to resume. Reduction of solar UV radiation adversely affected recovery of Fv/Fm following rehydration.

Photoinhibition is the popular topic in plant photosynthesis. However, restricted to experimental systems of in vitro membranes, knowledge of photosystem II (PSII) donor-side photoinhibition remains limited. Here, we report the first in vivo study of the mechanism in the marine higher plant Zostera marina. Preferential oxygen-evolving complex photoinactivation decreased the light-harvesting capacity and enhanced photosystem I cyclic electron flow (CEF). Non-photochemical quenching was inefficient and alternative electron flows, e.g. chlororespiration, Mehler reaction, malic acid synthesis, and photorespiration, remained unactivated, thereby reducing the unnecessary consumption of limited electron resources and maintaining a well carbon assimilation level. At variance with the PSII acceptor-side photoinhibition, the PSII photodamage of Z. marina was not attributed to 1O2 but was associated with the long-lived P680+ resulted from the photoinactivated OEC. Furthermore, we provided the novel insights into the PSII donor-side photoinhibition that rare PSII-CEF and ascorbate assumed photoprotective roles in Z. marina, which could donate electrons to the PSII reaction center to prevent the oxidative damage by P680+. This study addressed an important knowledge gap in PSII donor-side photoinhibition, providing a novel understanding of photosynthetic regulation mechanism responding to light stress.

The costs of Biscutella laevigata adaptation, a facultative metallophyte, to an environment polluted with heavy metals were established by analyzing the differences in embryological processes between plants from two populations in Southern Poland (a mountain, in the Tatra Mountains and calamine, in Bolesław). Disturbances in male and female lineage development and degeneration processes occurred in the anthers and ovules of plants from both populations, but with a higher frequency in the calamine population where A part of stamens/anthers and ovules in flowers were in a stage of degenertion. which could be interpreted as a strategy to save resources limited by the environment. The distribution of high-esterified homogalacturonan detected by LM20 antibody in the cell walls of embryos from the calamine population could be part of a resistance/defense system. The results from both populations indicate that B. laevigata has already developed adaptation/tolerance, enabling maintenance of the calamine population over time. Tolerant species could be an important source for revitalization and/or phytoremediation of polluted environments.

Rice is one of the most susceptible plant to iron (Fe) deficiency under neutral and alkaline conditions. Alkaline stress induces H2O2 production and increases the deposition of Fe on roots surface, which causes leaf chlorosis and Fe deficiency in rice. Gene chip and qRT-PCR analysis indicated that the expression of nitrate reductase (NR) genes were down-regulated by alkaline treatment, which resulted in significantly decreased nitrate activities and nitric oxide (NO) production in epidermis and stele, where the H2O2 was accumulated. In contrast, treatment with sodium nitroprusside (SNP), a NO donor, strongly alleviates alkaline-induced Fe deficiency by limiting Fe plaque formation. Increasing the NO signal significantly reduces the accumulation of H2O2 and lignin barrier, but enhances phenolic acid secretion in root epidermis and stele under alkaline stress. The secreted phenolic acid effectively mobilized the apoplast Fe and increased Fe uptake in root, thus which alleviate the Fe deficiency response and down-regulate expression of Fe uptake genes under alkaline condition. In conclusion, alkaline stress inhibits the NR activity and NO production in roots of rice, which plays a vital role in mobilizing the apoplast Fe by regulation of H2O2 and phenolic acids concentrations.

Photoperiod and circadian controls play crucial roles in the regulation of chloroplast biogenesis. To understand more about the regulation of this process, we compared the greening of the first leaves of wild type barley and two WHIRLY1 (WHY1)-deficient lines. Seedlings were grown in darkness for 4 days prior and then exposed to light at the beginning of the photoperiod on the 5th day or under standard photoperiod conditions. The accumulation of chlorophyll, as well plastid-encoded photosynthetic transcripts and proteins was delayed in the WHY1-deficient lines under standard photoperiod conditions because of defects in plastid gene expression, ribosomal processing and photosynthetic protein accumulation. The acquisition of full photosynthetic capacity was delayed by about 11 days in the first leaves and the newly forming leaves of the WHY1-deficient lines compared to the wild type. However, the light-dependent accumulation of pigments, transcripts and photosynthetic proteins was similar in all lines when etiolated seedlings were exposed to light. These results demonstrate that WHY1 is required for the integration of photoperiod-dependent signalling and chloroplast development in barley leaves.

Clonal selection and vegetative propagation determine low genetic variability in grapevine cultivars, although it is common to observe diverse phenotypes. Environmental signals may induce epigenetic changes altering gene expression and phenotype. The range of phenotypes that a genotype expresses in different environments is known as phenotypic plasticity. DNA methylation is the most studied epigenetic mechanism, but only few works evaluated this novel source of variability in grapevines. In the present study, we analyzed the effects on phenotypic traits and epigenome of three Vitis vinifera cv. Malbec clones cultivated in two contrasting vineyards of Mendoza, Argentina. Anonymous genome regions were analyzed using Methylation-Sensitive Amplified Polymorphism (MSAP) markers. Clone-dependent phenotypic and epigenetic variability between vineyards were found. The clone that presented the clearer MSAP differentiation between vineyards was selected and analyzed through Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing. Twenty-nine differentially methylated regions (DMRs) between vineyards were identified and associated to genes and/or promoters. We discuss about a group of genes related to hormones homeostasis and sensing that could provide a hint of the epigenetic role in the determination of the different phenotypes observed between vineyards and conclude that DNA methylation has an important role in the phenotypic plasticity and that epigenetic modulation is clone-dependent.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major problem in agriculture, thus identifying factors affecting plant’s ability to reutilize previously assimilated P is a prerequisite for improving the P homeostasis in crops grown with P deficient soil. Here, we report the involvement of a NAC (No apical meristem [NAM], Arabidopsis transcription activation factor [ATAF] and Cup-shaped cotyledon [CUC]) transcription factor in P deficiency resistance in Arabidopsis. Compared to the wild type (WT, Col-0) plants, the anac044 mutant displayed P deficiency resistant phenotype, together with the increasing root length, root and shoot biomass under P deficiency. ANAC044 was frequently expressed, including roots and shoots. Upon P deficient treatment even within 1 d, ANAC044 transcript accumulation was strongly up-regulated. Further analysis revealed that, under P-deficient condition, the cell wall, particularly the pectin of anac044, released more P than that of WT, accompanied by an increment of ethylene production, as a result, more soluble P was available in anac044 root and shoot. Thus, the study here uncovers the role of ANAC044 in maintenance of P homeostasis through ethylene signaling.

Global warming is already affecting plant phenology, growth and reproduction. A wide range of evidence indicates warming effects on reproductive and vegetative traits, as well as phenology, but seldom do studies assess these traits in concert and across the whole of a plant's life cycle, particularly in wild species. Further, while there is evidence that these effects vary between species little is known about the extent of within-species variation for plant persistence under future warming scenarios. We assessed trait variation in response to warming in Oreomyrrhis eriopoda, an Australian native montane herb, in which within-species variation in germination strategy and growth characteristics has been demonstrated. We quantified associations between developmental trajectories and population-level variation in germination timing and examined whether the next-generation traits are altered by maternal growth conditions. Warming effects were expressed in different traits during different developmental stages. The effect of warming varied as a function of germination strategy, but germination strategy itself was conserved across generations. Thus, we conclude that understand the response of wild species to warming takes a whole-of-life perspective and attention to ecologically significant patterns of within species variation.

Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is an important and complex crops trait and its improvement represents a strategy to maintain high yield reducing N-supply. We report the genome-wide transcriptomic analysis of four eggplants contrasting for NUE to identify key genes related to the NUE pathway, after short- and long-term low-N exposure, in both root and shoot. Co-expression Gene Networks (CGN) analysis permitted to identify up-regulated differential expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the light reaction pathway, the biological processes response to inorganic substance, abiotic stimulus and cellular response to nitrogen starvation in high NUE genotypes. Some transcription factor (TF) were up-regulated in the N-use efficient genotypes, in particular, WRKY33 showed a significant up-regulation triggering the higher expression of 21 genes cluster including other TFs, many of which associated to N-metabolism. To validate our results, an independent de novo experiment including two other NUE-contrasting genotypes, at both low and high N supply, was carried out. Interestingly, the high significant WRKY33 expression and its cluster were confirmed in the high NUE genotypes at low-N supply. Moreover, the WRKY33 role was confirmed in Arabidopsis as the 35S::AtWRKY33 over expressing line showed a more competitive root system able to uptake more efficiently N from the soil.

In this study the cucumber and wheat plants were used to clarify the mechanism of redroot pigweed’s allelopathic effects on photosynthesis. In order to reach that goal, plants were cultivated hydroponically, treated by redroot pigweed’s leachate and finally chlorophyll fluorescence and photosynthetic gas exchange parameters, photosynthetic pigments content and the expression of photosynthetic genes (PsbA and PsbS) and allelochemical interaction with proteins of studied genes were analyzed. After exposure to the allelopathic stress, significant differences in the majority of photosynthetic characteristic were observed in the studied species. Redroot pigweed allelopathy led to alteration in photosynthesis performance, photochemistry, and photosynthetic genes expression of cucumber and wheat plants, ultimately its results were observed in morphological traits of plants. Molecular docking study strongly confirmed the possibility of direct binding and action of allelopathic compounds with allelopathic action’s target proteins. Overall, this study showed that compared to cucumber, the wheat plant is able to withstand the damaging effects of amaranth allelopathy on photosynthesis in order to resist and survive.

Diverse algae possess vegetative desiccation tolerance, the ability to recover from extreme desiccation without forming specialized resting structures. Green algal genera such as Tetradesmus (Sphaeropleales, Chlorophyceae) contain both terrestrial and aquatic species, providing an opportunity to compare physiological traits associated with the transition to land in closely related taxa. We subjected six species from aquatic and terrestrial habitats to three desiccation treatments varying in final relative humidity followed by short- and mid-term rehydration. We tested the capacity of the algae to recover from desiccation using the effective quantum yield of photosystem II as a proxy for physiological activity. The degree of recovery was dependent both on the habitat of origin and the desiccation scenario, with terrestrial, but not aquatic species, recovering from desiccation. Distinct strains of each species responded similarly to desiccation and rehydration, with the exception of one aquatic strain that recovered from the mildest desiccation. Cell ultrastructure was uniformly maintained in both aquatic and desert species during dehydration and rehydration, but staining with an amphiphilic styryl dye indicated desiccation-induced damage to the plasma membrane in the aquatic species. These analyses demonstrate that terrestrial Tetradesmus possess the vegetative desiccation tolerance phenotype, making these species ideal for comparative omics studies.

Arabidopsis Casparian strip membrane domain proteins (CASPs) form a transmembrane scaffold to recruit lignin biosynthetic enzymes for Casparian strip (CS) formation. Compared with Arabidopsis, rice root is more complex with a CS of the exodermis and sclerenchyma and a CS that does not block propidium iodide entry into the stele. Rice CASP1 is highly similar to AtCASPs, but it is not required for CS formation. Its mutation results in early leaf senescence and fewer tillers and does not change the CS structure and permeability. OsCASP1 is mainly located in the nuclear membrane. Its expression is concentrated in the root stele and at small lateral root tips and can be induced by salt stress. OsCASP1 mutation causes ectopic suberin deposition in small lateral roots and ion imbalances in the plant. Homeostatic disorder induces nutrient recycling and accelerate leaf senescence. To our knowledge, OsCASP1 is the first CASP to be described in the nuclear membrane; it modulates suberin deposition and does not involve CS formation, representing a novel regulatory mode of CASPs.