Review
Plant Sciences
Atish Sardar
Summary: Environmental changes and increasing population pose significant challenges for crop production and food security. Researchers have made progress in improving cereals and pulses, but vegetables and fruits are essential for dietary and nutritional needs. Genetic engineering has successfully produced genetically modified crops with improved quality and stress-resistance, but biosafety concerns have limited their production and consumption. The CRISPR/Cas9 system offers a promising solution as it can produce transgene-free genetically edited plants, meeting biosafety norms. This review highlights the potential of CRISPR/Cas9 for improving the quality, yield, and overall productivity of vegetables and fruits by enhancing abiotic and biotic stress resistance.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Helen B. Belato, Carmelissa Norbrun, Jinping Luo, Chinmai Pindi, Souvik Sinha, Alexandra M. D'Ordine, Gerwald Jogl, Giulia Palermo, George P. Lisi
Summary: Allosteric signaling within multidomain proteins is a driving force for communication between functional sites. This study used nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and computational approaches to identify an allosteric hotspot in the HNH domain of GeoCas9. Mutation of a specific amino acid disrupted a salt-bridge network and altered the structure, timescale of allosteric motions, and thermostability of the domain. This finding may have implications for the specificity enhancement of Cas9.
JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL PHYSICS
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Li Duan, Limei Xu, Xiao Xu, Zhuan Qin, Xiaoying Zhou, Yin Xiao, Yujie Liang, Jiang Xia
Summary: Gene vectors deliver genetic materials or gene editing devices into cells for therapeutic protein production or gene correction, but barriers like cell membrane and degradation necessitate carriers for clinical gene therapy. Exosomes, engineered to encapsulate and deliver nucleic acids, and their fusion with liposomes increase loading capacity and maintain targeting capability, showing promise for future gene delivery applications in therapy.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Panagiota Filippou, Xavier Zarza, Chrystalla Antoniou, Toshihiro Obata, Carlos A. Villarroel, Ioannis Ganopoulos, Vaggelis Harokopos, Gholamreza Gohari, Vassilis Aidinis, Panagiotis Madesis, Anastasis Christou, Alisdair R. Fernie, Antonio F. Tiburcio, Vasileios Fotopoulos
Summary: The study found that salt-tolerant genotypes displayed lower levels of oxidative damage after salt treatment, while salt-sensitive genotypes showed higher oxidative responses. Metabolomics data revealed differences in responses to stress among different genotypes, while global transcriptomic analysis identified previously undiscovered gene expression differences related to salinity.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2021)
Review
Plant Sciences
Xiangyu Xu, Cassio Flavio Fonseca de Lima, Lam Dai Vu, Ive De Smet
Summary: Changes in weather patterns, drought risks, and rising global temperature negatively impact crop growth and productivity. Plants are exposed to multiple stresses simultaneously, but most studies focus on individual stress conditions. This mini-review focuses on the combination of drought and heat, summarizing current research results, identifying knowledge gaps, and suggesting potential future focus areas.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Review
Agronomy
Qari Muhammad Imran, Noreen Falak, Adil Hussain, Bong-Gyu Mun, Byung-Wook Yun
Summary: Plants face various environmental adversities such as heat, cold, drought, heavy metals, and salinity, and have developed sophisticated mechanisms to cope with these stresses. The key lies in how plants perceive stress signals and the importance of biotechnological tools in developing stress-tolerant cultivars.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Andrew Tae-Jun Kwon, Kohta Mohri, Satoshi Takizawa, Takahiro Arakawa, Maiko Takahashi, Bogumil Kaczkowski, Masaaki Furuno, Harukazu Suzuki, Shunsuke Tagami, Hidefumi Mukai, Erik Arner
Summary: This study demonstrated the creation of multiple mutant variants of U87MG cells using gene editing techniques, showing that loss of p53 function led to major transcriptional differences in the cells. Transcriptome data was used to predict mutant clones with less divergent phenotypes, which served as the best candidates for drug delivery testing platforms. In vitro and in vivo experiments supported these predictions, ultimately leading to the successful selection of the best qualifying mutant clone.
JOURNAL OF BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Me-Sun Kim, Seo-Rin Ko, Yu Jin Jung, Kwon-Kyoo Kang, Yung-Jo Lee, Yong-Gu Cho
Summary: Plants produce stress-resistant substances in response to abiotic stress, and a protein conversion mechanism helps break down damaged proteins. The study focused on the function of OsPUB7 gene in Oryza sativa and found that OsPUB7 plays a role in drought and salinity stress resistance. The interaction between OsPUB7 and other stress-related genes suggests its potential as a target for breeding and future research on drought tolerance in rice.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yu-Yuan Wang, Shih-Hsin Hsu, Hsin-Yao Tsai, Fu-Yu Cheng, Min-Chih Cheng
Summary: In this study, an ARC knockout cell line was generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology in HEK293 cells, and RNA sequencing and protein analysis revealed that ARC regulates differential expression of genes involved in the extracellular matrix, synaptic membrane, and heat shock protein family. These findings provide new evidence for understanding the role of ARC and the molecular pathways involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Hao Chen, Xin Xu, Qi Li, Jinjing Wang, Chengtuo Niu, Feiyun Zheng, Chunfeng Liu
Summary: This study investigated the genetic mechanisms underlying RNA synthesis in the mutant strain G03H8. Comparative transcriptomics and genetic engineering techniques were used to identify potential targets for enhancing RNA production. The results revealed a close association between RNA metabolism and cellular processes, and the over-expression of four genes (TAL1, PGM2, PRS5, and DBP8) significantly improved RNA yield and strain growth. This study provides novel genetic targets and enhances our understanding of high RNA synthesis in S. pastorianus.
Article
Plant Sciences
Lanxing Wei, Liu Liu, Zhi Chen, Yuan Huang, Li Yang, Pengwei Wang, Shaowu Xue, Zhilong Bie
Summary: Pumpkin is commonly used as rootstock for other Cucurbitaceae crops due to its resistance to diseases and stress. In this study, CmCNIH1 was identified as a potential cargo receptor for CmHKT1;1, and its knockout led to increased sensitivity to salt stress and disrupted ion homeostasis in pumpkin. CmCNIH1 may regulate the subcellular localization of CmHKT1;1 to improve salt tolerance.
Review
Plant Sciences
Adnan Rasheed, Huijie Li, Muhammad Nawaz, Athar Mahmood, Muhammad Umair Hassan, Adnan Noor Shah, Fiaz Hussain, Saira Azmat, Syed Faheem Anjum Gillani, Yasir Majeed, Sameer H. Qari, Ziming Wu
Summary: Improving salinity tolerance in rice can reduce yield losses caused by stress. Conventional breeding methods have limitations in developing salt-tolerant rice genotypes, making it critical to use molecular tools for screening salt-tolerant genes. The latest molecular techniques have shown reliability in incorporating salt tolerance in rice at the molecular level. Large-scale use of these genetic approaches helps identify and edit genes/QTLs associated with salinity tolerance in rice. Molecular breeding tools are also essential for conserving rice genetic diversity.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Ganna Reint, Zhuokun Li, Kornel Labun, Salla Keskitalo, Inkeri Soppa, Katariina Mamia, Eero Tolo, Monika Szymanska, Leonardo A. Meza-Zepeda, Susanne Lorenz, Artur Cieslar-Pobuda, Xian Hu, Diana L. Bordin, Judith Staerk, Eivind Valen, Bernhard Schmierer, Markku Varjosalo, Jussi Taipale, Emma Haapaniemi
Summary: Precision CRISPR gene editing can be improved by fusing DNA repair proteins with Cas9, with different fusion proteins showing varying effects based on cell type and genomic site. Optimization is necessary to account for the diverse factors contributing to locus-specific genome editing outcomes.
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiuju Huan, Li Li, Yongjiang Liu, Zhiyou Kong, Yeju Liu, Qianchao Wang, Junna Liu, Ping Zhang, Yirui Guo, Peng Qin
Summary: By using transcriptomics and targeted metabolomics, key genes and metabolites were identified in quinoa that play crucial roles in drought tolerance. Starch and sucrose metabolism as well as flavonoid biosynthesis are vital for enhancing drought tolerance in quinoa.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chunping Jia, Juan Wang, Bin Guo, Xin Li, Tao Yang, Haitao Yang, Ning Li, Baike Wang, Qinghui Yu
Summary: This study reveals the role of the tomato WRKY transcription factor SlWRKY52 in response to drought stress, suggesting its potential as a target gene for further molecular breeding.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Plant Sciences
Laura Pistelli, Marta Libik- Konieczny, Mirza Hasanuzzaman
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Anisur Rahman, Mazhar Ul Alam, Md. Shahadat Hossain, Jubayer Al Mahmud, Kamrun Nahar, Masayuki Fujita, Mirza Hasanuzzaman
Summary: This study investigated the role of gallic acid (GA) in enhancing salinity tolerance in rice seedlings. Salt stress resulted in osmotic, ionic, and oxidative stress in rice seedlings. Supplemental GA partially reversed salt-induced damages by improving osmotic and ionic homeostasis and enhancing the antioxidant defense system and MG detoxification in rice seedlings.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mirza Hasanuzzaman, Md. Rakib Hossain Raihan, Ayesha Siddika, Khussboo Rahman, Kamrun Nahar
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Ascophyllum nodosum extract (ANE) on arsenic tolerance in rice. The results showed that foliar spray with ANE alleviated arsenic-induced oxidative stress in rice and improved the plant's growth and yield.
ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Shabana Ehsan, Muhammad Amjad Qureshi, Muhammad Asif Ali, Muhammad Bilal Hafeez, Nauman Ali, Noreen Zahra, Ali Raza
Summary: By generating auxin and cytokinin in the rhizosphere and inoculating with rhizobium, mungbean production and quality can be improved. The study showed that bacterial inoculation and precursor-inoculum interaction increased mung bean grain yield by 12% and 34% respectively. Additionally, the use of physiological precursors significantly increased plant height, number of nodules, biomass yield, and protein content.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yasir Sharif, Gandeka Mamadou, Qiang Yang, Tiecheng Cai, Yuhui Zhuang, Kun Chen, Ye Deng, Shahid Ali Khan, Niaz Ali, Chong Zhang, Ali Raza, Hua Chen, Rajeev K. Varshney, Weijian Zhuang
Summary: Peanut is an important food and feed crop that is affected by various stresses, and APYs play a crucial role in regulating cellular ATP levels under stress. In this study, we identified and characterized 17 APY homologs in peanut and studied their expression patterns and functional roles in different tissues and stress conditions. We found that the AhAPY2-1 gene showed abundant expression in the pericarp, and the functional characterization of AhAPY2-1 promoter in transgenic Arabidopsis plants suggested its potential use in enhancing the defensive abilities of the pericarp. These findings highlight the importance of APYs as a future research subject for peanut and other crops.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Agronomy
Arooj Tariq, Muntazir Mushtaq, Huwaida Yaqoob, Basharat Ahmad Bhat, Sajad Majeed Zargar, Ali Raza, Sajad Ali, Sidra Charagh, Muhammad Salman Mubarik, Qamar U. Zaman, P. V. Vara Prasad, Rakeeb Ahmad Mir
Summary: Feeding the increasing global population in the face of rapidly changing climate is a daunting challenge for the scientific community. However, the development of genome editing technologies, particularly the CRISPR/Cas system, has revolutionized crop improvement and molecular breeding. This versatile toolbox has been utilized for genomic modifications, gene regulation, mutagenesis, and enhancing crop breeding, ultimately contributing to food and nutritional security.
GM CROPS & FOOD-BIOTECHNOLOGY IN AGRICULTURE AND THE FOOD CHAIN
(2023)
Editorial Material
Agronomy
Ali Raza, Daojie Wang, Xiling Zou, Channapatna S. Prakash
Correction
Agronomy
Shabana Ehsan, Muhammad Amjad Qureshi, Muhammad Asif Ali, Muhammad Bilal Hafeez, Nauman Ali, Noreen Zahra, Ali Raza
Article
Agronomy
Mehmood Ejaz, Muhammad Amir Bakhtavar, Shahid Iqbal, Mahmood Alam Khan, Raheela Jabeen, Nazish Jabeen, Ali Raza
Summary: This study evaluated the effect of potassium application on plant growth, physiology, water relations, and seed quality of quinoa. The results showed that the application of potassium at a rate of 125 kg ha-1 significantly improved the growth, water use efficiency, and seed quality of quinoa in both normal and salt-affected soils.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Weihong Xu, He Huang, Xiaodong Li, Mei Yang, Sunlin Chi, Yu Pan, Nannan Li, Andrew H. Paterson, Yourong Chai, Kun Lu
Summary: In this study, a genome-wide association study was performed to identify genes associated with Cd accumulation in pepper fruits. The results revealed a genomic region containing a homolog of the HMA1 gene, which is involved in Cd transport. Additionally, transcriptome analysis uncovered differentially expressed genes related to carbohydrate metabolism and photosynthesis in fruits with high Cd accumulation. The study also demonstrated the significant role of the CaHMA1 gene in regulating Cd content in pepper plants.
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Ivica Djalovic, Sayanta Kundu, Rajeev Nayan Bahuguna, Ashwani Pareek, Ali Raza, Sneh L. Singla-Pareek, P. V. Vara Prasad, Rajeev K. Varshney
Summary: The global mean temperature is rapidly increasing due to anthropogenic practices, which leads to the emission of greenhouse gases. This temperature increase is predicted to reach 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels by 2050. The warming climate adversely impacts crop production, particularly maize, by affecting biochemical, physiological, and metabolic processes, resulting in poor growth and reduced yield. Heat stress tolerance in crops is regulated by various environmental factors, including humidity, vapor pressure deficit, soil moisture content, and solar radiation. Therefore, exploring genetic diversity in maize through landraces and wild accessions can help identify traits, genes, and QTLs that can enhance heat stress tolerance in elite cultivars.
Article
Agronomy
Dhriti Sharma, Savita Bhardwaj, Ali Raza, Rattandeep Singh, Dhriti Kapoor, Neeta Raj Sharma, P. V. Vara Prasad
Summary: The effects of exogenously supplemented silicon and 24-epibrassinolide on the growth and antioxidant defense mechanisms of Trigonella foenum-graecum plants under lead stress were investigated. The results showed that the combined application of silicon and 24-epibrassinolide significantly alleviated the oxidative stress caused by lead toxicity in fenugreek plants.
Article
Agronomy
Mohammad Reza Fayezizadeh, Naser Alemzadeh Ansari, Mohammad Mahmoodi Sourestani, Mirza Hasanuzzaman
Summary: The appropriate concentration of nutrient solution significantly affects the yield, antioxidant capacity, and biochemical compounds of basil microgreens in a floating system. Results showed that a 50% NS concentration led to the highest yield, while a 125% NS concentration resulted in the highest content of secondary metabolites with enhanced antioxidant capacity. A 100% NS concentration provided a balance between antioxidant properties and yield.
Review
Plant Sciences
Mohammad Sarraf, Edappayil Janeeshma, Namira Arif, Muhammad Qudrat Ullah Farooqi, Vinod Kumar, Naser Alemzadeh Ansari, Muhammad Imran Ghani, Mohammad Abbas Ahanger, Mirza Hasanuzzaman
Summary: Beneficial elements play a crucial role in enhancing plant stress resilience by regulating transporter activity, improving mineral acquisition, boosting antioxidant defense responses, and interacting with growth promoting-soil microbes.
Review
Agriculture, Multidisciplinary
Shahin Imran, Prosenjit Sarker, Md Najmol Hoque, Newton Chandra Paul, Md Asif Mahamud, Jotirmoy Chakrobortty, Md Tahjib-Ul-Arif, Arafat Abdel Hamed Abdel Latef, Mirza Hasanuzzaman, Mohammad Saidur Rhaman
Summary: Abiotic stresses are the main constraints to successful crop production, but biochar can increase crop yield and alleviate the adverse effects of stresses. Biochar improves soil quality and enhances plant tolerance and yield by modulating physiological and biochemical processes. However, more research is needed on the stress-relieving roles of biochar.
CROP & PASTURE SCIENCE
(2023)