Unravelling Cotton Nonexpressor of Pathogenesis-Related 1(NPR1)-Like Genes Family: Evolutionary Analysis and Putative Role in Fiber Development and Defense Pathway

Decoding the guardians of cotton resilience: A comprehensive exploration of the βCA genes and its role in Verticillium dahliae resistance

Plant Carbonic anhydrases (Cas) have been shown to be stress-responsive enzymes that may play a role in adapting to adverse conditions. Cotton is a significant economic crop in China, with upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) being the most widely cultivated species. We conducted genome-wide identification of the βCA gene in six cotton species and preliminary analysis of the βCA gene in upland cotton. In total, 73 βCA genes from six cotton species were identified, with phylogenetic analysis dividing them into five subgroups. GHβCA proteins were predominantly localized in the chloroplast and cytoplasm. The genes exhibited conserved motifs, with motifs 1, 2, and 3 being prominent. GHβCA genes were unevenly distributed across chromosomes and were associated with stress-responsive cis-regulatory elements, including those responding to light, MeJA, salicylic acid, abscisic acid, cell cycle regulation, and defence/stress. Expression analysis indicated that GHβCA6, GHβCA7, GHβCA10, GHβCA15, and GHβCA16 were highly expressed under various abiotic stress conditions, whereas GHβCA3, GHβCA9, GHβCA10, and GHβCA18 had higher expression patterns under Verticillium dahliae infection at different time intervals. In Gossypium thurberi, GthβCA1, GthβCA2, and GthβCA4 showed elevated expression across stress conditions and tissues. Silencing GHβCA10 through VIGS increased Verticillium wilt severity and reduced lignin deposition compared to non-silenced plants. GHβCA10 is crucial for cotton's defense against Verticillium dahliae. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms and develop strategies to enhance resistance against Verticillium wilt.

Unraveling NPR-like Family Genes in Fragaria spp. Facilitated to Identify Putative NPR1 and NPR3/4 Orthologues Participating in Strawberry-Colletotrichum fructicola Interaction

The salicylic acid receptor NPR1 (nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes) and its paralogues NPR3 and NPR4 are master regulators of plant immunity. Commercial strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) is a highly valued crop vulnerable to various pathogens. Historic confusions regarding the identity of NPR-like genes have hindered research in strawberry resistance. In this study, the comprehensive identification and phylogenic analysis unraveled this family, harboring 6, 6, 5, and 23 members in F. vesca, F. viridis, F. iinumae, and F. × ananassa, respectively. These genes were clustered into three clades, with each diploid member matching three to five homoalleles in F. × ananassa. Despite the high conservation in terms of gene structure, protein module, and functional residues/motifs/domains, substantial divergence was observed, hinting strawberry NPR proteins probably function in ways somewhat different from Arabidopsis. RT-PCR and RNAseq analysis evidenced the transcriptional responses of FveNPR1 and FxaNPR1a to Colletotrichum fructicola. Extended expression analysis for strawberry NPR-likes helped to us understand how strawberry orchestrate the NPRs-centered defense system against C. fructicola. The cThe current work supports that FveNPR1 and FxaNPR1a, as well as FveNPR31 and FxaNPR31a-c, were putative functional orthologues of AtNPR1 and AtNPR3/4, respectively. These findings set a solid basis for the molecular dissection of biological functions of strawberry NPR-like genes for improving disease resistance.

A ménage à trois: salicylic acid, growth inhibition, and immunity

Salicylic acid (SA) is a plant hormone almost exclusively associated with the promotion of immunity. It is also known that SA has a negative impact on plant growth, yet only limited efforts have been dedicated to explain this facet of SA action. In this review, we focus on SA-related reduced growth and discuss whether it is a regulated process and if the role of SA in immunity imperatively comes with growth suppression. We highlight molecular targets of SA that interfere with growth and describe scenarios where SA can improve plant immunity without a growth penalty.

Effect of virus infection on the secondary metabolite production and phytohormone biosynthesis in plants

Plants have evolved according to their environmental conditions and continuously interact with different biological entities. These interactions induce many positive and negative effects on plant metabolism. Many viruses also associate with various plant species and alter their metabolism. Further, virus-plant interaction also alters the expression of many plant hormones. To overcome the biotic stress imposed by the virus's infestation, plants produce different kinds of secondary metabolites that play a significant role in plant defense against the viral infection. In this review, we briefly highlight the mechanism of virus infection, their influence on the plant secondary metabolites and phytohormone biosynthesis in response to the virus-plant interactions.