Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniela Boanares, Amauri Bueno, Aline Xavier de Souza, Alessandra Rodrigues Kozovits, Hildeberto Caldas Sousa, Lucia Pinheiro Santos Pimenta, Rosy Mary dos Santos Isaias, Marcel Giovanni Costa Franca
Summary: The study found that the chemical composition of plant cuticular waxes is related to the speed of water absorption in leaves, but not to the maximum water absorbed. Additionally, the presence of wax crystals in the cuticle may interfere with foliar water uptake.
Article
Entomology
Elena V. Gorb, Stanislav N. Gorb
Summary: In this study, the researchers aimed to determine whether the petal surface of cafeteria-type flowers is adapted to a weaker attachment of insect pollinators. They examined the structure of the plant organs and measured the attachment force of insects. The experimental results showed that the attachment of insects on the petal surface of cafeteria-type flowers was significantly weaker, which is attributed to the structure of the surface and the presence of cuticular folds.
Article
Plant Sciences
Boaz Negin, Lior Shachar, Sagit Meir, Claudio C. Ramirez, A. Rami Horowitz, Georg Jander, Asaph Aharoni
Summary: Despite decades of research on epicuticular wax metabolism in plants, the role of these metabolites in plant-herbivore interactions remains unclear. This study found that knockout mutations in wax metabolism genes of Nicotiana glauca led to changes in wax composition, affecting interactions with insects and snails. Different herbivore classes and species showed varied responses to wax components, suggesting the specific effects of different surface wax components are shaped by co-evolution.
PLANT CELL AND ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xuanhao Zhang, Yi Liu, Asma Ayaz, Huayan Zhao, Shiyou Lu
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive overview of the structural, functional, and regulatory aspects of the fatty acyl reductase (FAR) enzyme family, which plays a crucial role in lipid synthesis in plants. The review also poses several unanswered questions, which serve as directions for future research.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Karina Khambatta, Ashley Hollings, Georgina Sauzier, Lilian M. V. P. Sanglard, Annaleise R. Klein, Mark J. Tobin, Jitraporn Vongsvivut, Mark R. Gibberd, Alan D. Payne, Fatima Naim, Mark J. Hackett
Summary: The analysis of the epicuticular wax layer on plant leaves using FTIR reflectance spectroscopic imaging provides a non-destructive in situ method to investigate the distribution of wax in plants, offering insights into how plants respond to growth, disease, and environmental stressors.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Shiboram Banerjee, Arnab Banerjee, Debnath Palit
Summary: The present study aimed to characterize air pollution indicators and identify pollution tolerant plant species in the Durgapur Industrial region of West Bengal, India. The study focused on two plant species, Ficus benghalensis (FIBE) and Terminalia arjuna (TEAR), and compared pollution levels between a control site (S1) and a severely polluted site (S2) in the region. The study found that air pollution was higher around industrial clusters in the city, with the peri-urban areas being comparatively less polluted. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) was used to analyze the deposition patterns and surface architectural patterns of epicuticular wax of the plant species. Thirteen major variables were identified as the most influenced ones under air pollution stress through Principal Component Analysis (PCA). This study can provide guidance for forest managers in analyzing pollution-induced variables of model tree species and developing effective green belts to combat air pollution in urban industrial regions.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yi Zhang, Zhenghua Du, Yanting Han, Xiaobing Chen, Xiangrui Kong, Weijiang Sun, Changsong Chen, Mingjie Chen
Summary: The study found that the cuticle can reversibly modify its transpiration barrier under prolonged drought and rehydration treatments by selectively depositing specific wax compounds; these modifications are achieved through multiple mechanisms, helping to strengthen or maintain the protective function of the cuticle.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Sutanni Sarkar, Gulab Chand Arya, Boaz Negin, Ekaterina Manasherova, Maggie Levy, Asaph Aharoni, Hagai Cohen
Summary: In this study, the researchers explored the contribution of cuticular lipid metabolism to barley domestication by comparing wild and domesticated barley variants. They found substantial differences in the morphology and tissue characteristics between the two variants. Further analysis revealed that wild barley leaves have a higher density of epicuticular waxes compared to domesticated leaves, but the ultrastructure of the cuticle is similar. Gene expression assays confirmed these findings, showing higher expression of epicuticular wax biosynthetic genes in wild barley leaves. The research provides new insights into the compositional variances in cuticular lipids of wild and domesticated barley leaves and their impact on plant-environment interactions.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Mingjie Chen, Yi Zhang, Xiangrui Kong, Zhenghua Du, Huiwen Zhou, Zhaoxi Yu, Jianheng Qin, Changsong Chen
Summary: The study on tea trees found that the epicuticular wax coverage on the leaf surface is positively correlated with resistance, and different tea trees may be affected by different cuticular factors under different conditions.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sara K. Fleetwood, Sydney Bell, Reinhard Jetter, E. Johan Foster
Summary: Novel superhydrophobic coatings, which are biodegradable and biosourced, have the potential to revolutionize the water-repellent coating industry. In this study, water-repellent coatings were prepared from plant waxes isolated using solvent extraction and characterized using various techniques. The coatings demonstrated superhydrophobic properties and could be applied onto textiles of different polarities using less coating material.
Review
Plant Sciences
Gulab Chand Arya, Sutanni Sarkar, Ekaterina Manasherova, Asaph Aharoni, Hagai Cohen
Summary: The cuticle on plant aerial surfaces, composed of cutin polyester and waxes, serves as a protective barrier that prevents water loss, regulates transpiration, and facilitates gas and solute transport. It also acts as the first line of defense against environmental cues and biotic stresses, including pathogens and pests. The complex molecular interactions between plants and pathogens primarily occur at the cuticle interface, where epicuticular waxes and cutin monomers play multidimensional roles.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Sara K. Fleetwood, Sydney Bell, Reinhard Jetter, E. Johan Foster
Summary: This article investigates a novel method for preparing superhydrophobic coatings using biodegradable and biosourced plant waxes. The study found that high-performing petroleum-free coatings can be made using less coating material than commercial coatings, and they can be applied onto textiles of various polarities.
Article
Plant Sciences
Seung Young Choi, Yong Jin Lee, Hyeon Ung Seo, Jong Ho Kim, Cheol Seong Jang
Summary: This study identified a drought-insensitive rice mutant through screening, which exhibited reduced water loss and leaf curling under drought stress, indicating good drought tolerance. The mutant also accumulated more cuticular wax on the surface, potentially contributing to enhanced drought resistance in rice.
PHYSIOLOGIA PLANTARUM
(2022)
Article
Remote Sensing
Salma Bibi, Asma Noshad, Aamir Khan
Summary: Using remote sensing technology to explore plant traits can provide better and more cost-effective results. Hyperspectral imaging indices can improve selection efficiency by indicating each genotype's proficiency. The presence of epicuticular wax influences plant reflectance, with a positive correlation between high epicuticular wax and yield suggesting its important role in preventing yield losses under drought conditions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REMOTE SENSING
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Gengxing Song, Chuanhong Liu, Bing Fang, Jie Ren, Hui Feng
Summary: In this study, two allelic epicuticular wax crystal deficiency mutants, wdm1 and wdm7, were identified in Chinese cabbage. The mutants had fewer wax crystals and lower leaf primary alcohol and ester content. The mutation in the Brwdm1 gene, which encodes an alcohol-forming fatty acyl-CoA reductase, resulted in the change of protein structure and glossy appearance in Chinese cabbage.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)