Comprehensive in silico modeling of the rice plant PRR Xa21 and its interaction with RaxX21-sY and OsSERK2

Plant Responses to Biotic Stress: Old Memories Matter

Plants are fascinating organisms present in most ecosystems and a model system for studying different facets of ecological interactions on Earth. In the environment, plants constantly encounter a multitude of abiotic and biotic stresses. The zero-avoidance phenomena make them more resilient to such environmental odds. Plants combat biotic stress or pathogenic ingression through a complex orchestration of intracellular signalling cascades. The plant-microbe interaction primarily relies on acquired immune response due to the absence of any specialised immunogenic cells for adaptive immune response. The generation of immune memory is mainly carried out by T cells as part of the humoral immune response in animals. Recently, prodigious advancements in our understanding of epigenetic regulations in plants invoke the "plant memory" theory afresh. Current innovations in cutting-edge genomic tools have revealed stress-associated genomic alterations and strengthened the idea of transgenerational memory in plants. In plants, stress signalling events are transferred as genomic imprints in successive generations, even without any stress. Such immunogenic priming of plants against biotic stresses is crucial for their eco-evolutionary success. However, there is limited literature capturing the current knowledge of the transgenerational memory of plants boosting biotic stress responses. In this context, the present review focuses on the general concept of memory in plants, recent advancements in this field and comprehensive implications in biotic stress tolerance with future perspectives.

Molecular Characterization and Expression of Four Aquaporin Genes in Impatiens walleriana During Drought Stress and Recovery

Aquaporins comprise a large group of transmembrane proteins responsible for water transport, which is crucial for plant survival under stress conditions. Despite the vital role of aquaporins, nothing is known about this protein family in Impatiens walleriana, a commercially important horticultural plant, which is sensitive to drought stress. In the present study, attention is given to the molecular characterization of aquaporins in I. walleriana and their expression during drought stress and recovery. We identified four I. walleriana aquaporins: IwPIP1;4, IwPIP2;2, IwPIP2;7 and IwTIP4;1. All of them had conserved NPA motifs (Asparagine-Proline-Alanine), transmembrane helices (TMh), pore characteristics, stereochemical properties and tetrameric structure of holoprotein. Drought stress and recovery treatment affected the aquaporins expression in I. walleriana leaves, which was up- or downregulated depending on stress intensity. Expression of IwPIP2;7 was the most affected of all analyzed I. walleriana aquaporins. At 15% and 5% soil moisture and recovery from 15% and 5% soil moisture, IwPIP2;7 expression significantly decreased and increased, respectively. Aquaporins IwPIP1;4 and IwTIP4;1 had lower expression in comparison to IwPIP2;7, with moderate expression changes in response to drought and recovery, while IwPIP2;2 expression was of significance only in recovered plants. Insight into the molecular structure of I. walleriana aquaporins expanded knowledge about plant aquaporins, while its expression during drought and recovery contributed to I. walleriana drought tolerance mechanisms and re-acclimation.