Article
Cell Biology
Jing Yan, Bei Xie, Ye Tian, Li Huang, Shuli Zou, Zhiheng Peng, Zhuan Liu, Linjing Li
Summary: Insulin resistance (IR) is associated with poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study identified differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in insulin resistant HepG2 cells, and found that these DEPs are involved in tumorigenesis and tumor progression. High expression of SOX9 and PRKD3 is strongly associated with reduced patient survival rate.
FRONTIERS IN CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yafei Wang, Nan Wang, Songtao Liu, Anyi Dong, Tinashe Zenda, Xinyue Liu, Jiao Li, Huijun Duan
Summary: This study investigated the phenotypic and proteomic alterations of maize under nitrogen deficiency conditions, revealing differences in nitrogen content, leaf growth, and protein expression between maize hybrids with contrasting low nitrogen tolerance. The findings suggest that different varieties respond to low nitrogen stress through diverse molecular and physiological mechanisms.
Review
Plant Sciences
Cristhian Camilo Chavez-Arias, Gustavo Adolfo Ligarreto-Moreno, Augusto Ramirez-Godoy, Hermann Restrepo-Diaz
Summary: Maize is a major cereal crop grown worldwide, but global climate change has led to increased abiotic and biotic stress events such as drought and heat. Plants have developed various physiological, biochemical, and molecular responses to cope with these stresses, while the behavior of herbivorous arthropods under drought scenarios remains unclear. The combination of different environmental stresses and biotic factors results in complex plant responses.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Hongjie Li, Mei Yang, Chengfeng Zhao, Yifan Wang, Renhe Zhang
Summary: The study revealed that drought-tolerant maize cultivar enhances photochemical efficiency and antioxidative enzymes activities to adapt to drought stress, while drought-sensitive cultivar induces only molecular chaperones and sucrose synthesis pathways to combat drought pressure. Proteomics analysis indicated the importance of proteins related to electron transport chain and redox homeostasis in protecting plants from drought stress.
Article
Plant Sciences
Amara Fatima, Naila Safdar, Noor-ul Ain, Azra Yasmin, Gul-e-Saba Chaudhry
Summary: This study aimed to create bioengineered Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) using Rosa canina L. aqueous extract combined with Abscisic acid (ABA) to enhance drought-tolerant properties in Zea mays L under water stress. The impact of different treatments using seed imbibition (SI) and foliar spray (FS) methods on the physio-morphological and biochemical properties of Z. mays L. was investigated. Results showed that the ABA-ZnO-SI treatment had the most positive effects, including increased root length, relative water content, chlorophyll and carotenoid content, cob length and weight, and reduced stomatal opening and leaf damage index. The treatment also led to elevated levels of proline and antioxidant activities, as well as decreased lipid peroxidation. Given these promising outcomes, this research has potential significance for advancing agricultural practices with improved drought tolerance in Z. mays L.
JOURNAL OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATION
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ewelina Paluch-Lubawa, Barbara Prosicka, Wladyslaw Polcyn
Summary: This study investigates the effect of Rhizophagus irregularis on the expression of plasma membrane aquaporin isoforms in maize leaves under severe drought conditions. The findings show that the regulation of aquaporins by mycorrhiza is dependent on leaf position and is closely related to photosynthesis and stomatal response to drought. The results suggest that mycorrhiza protects the leaves from drought effects by preventing the down-regulation of aquaporins, leading to improved stomatal conductance and faster restoration of photosynthetic capability.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Jinzhu Zhou, Shimeng Huang, Baochao Fan, Beibei Niu, Rongli Guo, Jun Gu, Song Gao, Bin Li
Summary: This study utilized quantitative proteomics to identify differentially expressed proteins in PoRV-infected IPEC-J2 cells, revealing 223 DAPs involved in critical biological processes and signaling pathways. The up or down accumulation of specific DAPs, such as VAMP4, IKBKE, TJP3, SOD3, and DHX9, upon PoRV infection were validated by RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis, providing insights into PoRV pathogenesis in piglets.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ankita Sharma, Dixit Sharma, Shailender Kumar Verma
Summary: In this study, an in silico approach was used to predict iron and zinc binding proteins from the whole proteome of maize. A total of 356 iron binding proteins and 546 zinc binding proteins were predicted. Functional annotation of these proteins revealed their roles in various cellular and biological processes in maize, such as metabolism, gene expression and regulation, transport, stress response, protein folding, and proteolysis.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Entomology
Raul Omar Real-Santillan, Ek del-Val, Trevor Williams, Ana Mabel Martinez-Castillo, Mayra E. Gavito, Hexon Angel Cornejo-Contreras, Tsiri Diaz, Griselda Garcia-Gomez, John Larsen
Summary: Drought events have significant effects on crop productivity and biological control in the context of current climate change.
JOURNAL OF PEST SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Guorui Wang, Huihui Su, Salah Fatouh Abou-Elwafa, Pengyu Zhang, Liru Cao, Jiaxu Fu, Xiaowen Xie, Lixia Ku, Pengfei Wen, Tongchao Wang, Li Wei
Summary: Maize is an important crop for global food security, and developing drought-tolerant genotypes is crucial. Through transcriptomic analysis, we identified a drought-responsive gene, ZmNHL1, which belongs to the LEA-2 protein family. Overexpression of ZmNHL1 in transgenic plants improved ROS scavenging and cell membrane permeability, enhancing maize tolerance to drought stress.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Syed Faheem Anjum Gillani, Zelong Zhuang, Adnan Rasheed, Inzamam Ul Haq, Asim Abbasi, Shakil Ahmed, Yinxia Wang, Muhammad Tajammal Khan, Rehana Sardar, Yunling Peng
Summary: This study investigated the effects of brassinosteroids on drought resistance in different maize genotypes at physiological and transcriptomic levels. The results showed that plant hormonal signal transduction and starch and sucrose metabolism were enhanced in all genotypes, while phenylpropanoid biosynthesis was enhanced in the more drought-tolerant genotypes. This study provides valuable information on drought-responsive mechanisms and candidate gene resources for maize improvement.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Qi Cheng, Xianwen Yuan, Shibo Lin, Yinjuan Zhao, Haiquan Wang, Feng Zhu, Yuqi Wang, Tao Xu, Jing Wu, Kai Wang, Jingzi Zhang, Xitai Sun, Chaojun Li, Hui Liang, Lei Fang, Bin Xue
Summary: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common chronic liver disease and is closely associated with obesity. However, there are individuals with metabolically healthy obesity (MHO) who do not develop NAFLD, suggesting the existence of factors independent of obesity that protect against NAFLD. Through a proteomic study, we identified significant differences in serum proteins between NAFLD and MHO subjects, with changes observed in immune response and triglyceride metabolism-related pathways. We also found that serum apolipoprotein H levels may be a potential blood biomarker for distinguishing NAFLD from MHO and predicting NAFLD risk.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOMICS
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Muhammad Saleem, Fahim Nawaz, Muhammad Baqir Hussain, Rao Muhammad Ikram
Summary: The study showed that inoculation with tolerant bacterial strains can increase photosynthetic activity, maintain leaf water status and pigments, and stimulate antioxidant machinery in water-stressed maize seedlings. Additionally, treatment with bacterial consortia further enhanced drought protective mechanisms, resulting in higher efficiency of photosynthetic and antioxidant systems under water-deficit conditions. The findings suggest that microbial consortia inoculation regulates water uptake, photosynthetic performance, and stress metabolites to minimize drought-induced damages in maize.
JOURNAL OF SOIL SCIENCE AND PLANT NUTRITION
(2021)
Article
Agronomy
Jiri Kudrna, Marek Popov, Frantisek Hnilicka, Marie Lhotska, Veronika Zemanova, Pavla Vachova, Jan Kubes, Jana Ceska, Barbora Tunklova
Summary: Zea mays L. plants were exposed to different concentrations of acetaminophen (APAP) in a semi-controlled greenhouse. The study evaluated the impact of APAP contamination on photosynthetic rate, water potential, proline content, and levels of 5-methylcytosine (5 mC%). The results showed that high concentrations of APAP led to decreased transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency. Additionally, an increase in 5 mC% levels was observed with APAP contamination, with a significant change observed between 600 mg L-1 and 800 mg L-1 of APAP treatments.
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Xi-Dong Li, Yong-Qiang Gao, Wei-Hua Wu, Li-Mei Chen, Yi Wang
Summary: The study identified an S-type anion channel ZmSLAC1 in maize guard cells that plays a crucial role in stomatal closure under drought stress, regulated by ZmCPK35 and ZmCPK37. Increasing the expression levels of ZmCPK35 and ZmCPK37 is a feasible approach to enhance maize drought tolerance and reduce yield loss under drought conditions.
PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Songtao Liu, Tinashe Zenda, Anyi Dong, Yatong Yang, Nan Wang, Huijun Duan
Summary: This study identified growth-stage-specific molecular mechanisms regulating maize drought stress responses by performing a comprehensive comparative leaf transcriptome analysis on drought-tolerant hybrid ND476 plants subjected to water-sufficient and water-deficit conditions at different growth stages. The findings suggest that maize drought stress adaptation is a growth-stage-specific response process and provide valuable genetic resources and selection targets for further functional validation experiments.
FRONTIERS IN GENETICS
(2021)
Review
Biology
Tinashe Zenda, Songtao Liu, Anyi Dong, Huijun Duan
Summary: To adapt to climate change and meet food and nutritional needs, a shift towards developing climate-resilient crop varieties, diversifying agricultural systems, and better utilizing underutilized crop species is required. Advances in plant genomics, including genome sequencing and gene editing technologies, have enabled the breeding of crops with improved stress tolerance and nutritional quality, ultimately broadening genetic variation and enhancing crop resilience.
Review
Agronomy
Tinashe Zenda, Songtao Liu, Anyi Dong, Huijun Duan
Summary: Sulphur is crucial for plant growth and development, playing key roles in enhancing crop productivity and quality. It is increasingly important in the face of growing population and environmental challenges such as climate change, highlighting the necessity for sustainable and environmentally friendly food production through the proper utilization of sulphur.
Review
Plant Sciences
Tinashe Zenda, Songtao Liu, Anyi Dong, Jiao Li, Yafei Wang, Xinyue Liu, Nan Wang, Huijun Duan
Summary: Innovative crop improvement methods, such as utilizing genetic variation from crop wild relatives and underutilized species, are essential for breeding climate-resilient crops. Omics technologies play a crucial role in revealing key genes and metabolic pathways, aiding marker-assisted breeding in major crop species.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Yafei Wang, Nan Wang, Songtao Liu, Anyi Dong, Tinashe Zenda, Xinyue Liu, Jiao Li, Huijun Duan
Summary: This study investigated the phenotypic and proteomic alterations of maize under nitrogen deficiency conditions, revealing differences in nitrogen content, leaf growth, and protein expression between maize hybrids with contrasting low nitrogen tolerance. The findings suggest that different varieties respond to low nitrogen stress through diverse molecular and physiological mechanisms.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Tinashe Zenda, Nan Wang, Anyi Dong, Yuzhi Zhou, Huijun Duan
Summary: Reproductive-stage heat stress has negative impacts on cereal crop production, but research on this topic is relatively limited. Climate change-exacerbated heat stress will have significant effects on crop performance and global food security. Crop plants have developed complex mechanisms to perceive and adapt to heat stress, and understanding these mechanisms can help improve heat tolerance in cereal crops.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Anyi Dong, Tinashe Zenda, Xinyue Liu, Yafei Wang, Jiao Li, Yatong Yang, Songtao Liu, Huijun Duan
Summary: RNA-seq analysis identified key genes involved in drought stress response in maize at different growth stages, with DnaJ and a putative WAK family receptor-like protein kinase being suggested as main contenders for drought tolerance. Using DnaJ gene expression as a potential index showed consistent and accurate evaluation of drought resistance in maize cultivars. This method offers a simple, flexible and reliable alternative for drought resistance screening in maize breeding.
Article
Plant Sciences
Tinashe Zenda, Nan Wang, Xiaocui Yan, Anyi Dong, Qian Yang, Yuan Zhong, Huijun Duan
Summary: Global crop production and food-and-nutrition security are at risk due to climate change-induced environmental stresses and decreasing crop genetic diversity. Developing climate-resilient crops is considered the most effective and sustainable approach to adapt agriculture and ensure future food security, despite the challenges involved. This review examines the key obstacles to engineering crop climate resilience and summarizes existing opportunities for achieving it, including understanding plant responses to compound stresses, utilizing wild crop species, innovating breeding methods, utilizing genomics and biotechnology, modifying agronomic practices, and fostering interdisciplinary collaborations. Priority research targets/avenues include improving crop photosynthesis capacity, enhancing aquaporin activity and water-use efficiency, adjusting root system architecture, exploring plant-associated microbiomes, and engineering metabolic pathways.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Review
Plant Sciences
Songtao Liu, Tinashe Zenda, Zaimin Tian, Zhihong Huang
Summary: Drought and heat are major abiotic stresses that hinder cereal crop growth and productivity. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the response to these stresses is crucial for enhancing stress tolerance and improving yield. Functional genomics has provided insights into stress-related genes, which have been used to generate stress-tolerant cultivars. However, the complexity and multigenic nature of stress tolerance suggest that single-gene/trait targeting may not be sufficient. Targeted multiple-gene or metabolic pathway manipulation could be the most effective approach for improving drought and heat stress tolerance in cereal crops.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiao Li, Tinashe Zenda, Songtao Liu, Anyi Dong, Yafei Wang, Xinyue Liu, Nan Wang, Huijun Duan
Summary: Maize requires nitrogen for its growth and development, but excessive nitrogen fertilizer application leads to land and water pollution. Cultivating low-N-tolerant maize varieties is crucial for minimizing nitrate pollution. In this study, we identified differentially expressed genes and proteins related to low-N tolerance through transcriptome and proteome analysis of maize leaves. The results showed that the low-N-tolerant variety XY335 exhibited better sensing and signaling, protein phosphorylation and stress response, and photosynthesis efficiency compared to the low-N-sensitive variety HN138. Additionally, glutathione transferase 42 gene was found to be associated with low-N tolerance.