Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yaying Xia, Junfeng Yang, Lin Ma, Su Yan, Yongzhen Pang
Summary: The study identified 346 cytochrome P450 genes and found multiple hub genes involved in plant growth and development under drought/salt stresses. These hub genes were induced by the stresses and mainly involved in secondary metabolism and fatty acid pathways.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Junfeng Yang, Qian Li, Wenxuan Du, Yu Yao, Guoan Shen, Wenbo Jiang, Yongzhen Pang
Summary: In this study, 25 MtBGAL members were identified and characterized in Medicago truncatula, showing distinct expression patterns and a stem-specific expression module associated with cell wall metabolic pathways. MtBGAL1 and MtBGAL23 were highly expressed in mature stems and subcellularly localized to the cell wall, indicating their roles in cell wall modification. These results shed light on the functional characterization and utilization of BGAL genes for improving the quality of legume forage crops.
Article
Plant Sciences
Raul Huertas, Ivone Torres-Jerez, Shaun J. Curtin, Wolf Scheible, Michael Udvardi
Summary: Three PHO2-like genes in Medicago truncatula were characterized for their potential roles in phosphorus and nitrogen metabolism balance and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. Among them, MtPHO2B may play a key role in the balance of phosphorus and nitrogen, while MtPHO2C has limited regulatory effects on phosphorus metabolism. Genetic analysis also revealed a connection between phosphorus allocation, plant growth, and symbiotic nitrogen fixation performance. In conclusion, MtPHO2 genes play important roles in both systemic and localized (nodules) phosphorus metabolism.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Wenxuan Du, Junfeng Yang, Qian Li, Qian Su, Dengxia Yi, Yongzhen Pang
Summary: Growth Regulatory Factors (GRF) are plant-specific transcription factors that play critical roles in plant growth and development as well as plant tolerance against stress. In this study, 16 GRF genes were identified from the genomes of Medicago truncatula and Medicago sativa, and their sequences and expression patterns were analyzed. The results showed that these GRF genes are important for plant growth and stress tolerance, particularly in response to salt and drought stress.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Chongnan Wang, Hui Wang, Hao Zhu, Wenkai Ji, Yaling Hou, Yingying Meng, Jiangqi Wen, Kirankumar S. Mysore, Xuesen Li, Hao Lin
Summary: In this study, the CKX gene family in Medicago truncatula was systematically analyzed, revealing their diverse roles in plant development. Different MtCKX genes showed tissue-specific expression patterns and various responses to cytokinins, indicating their unique functions in M. truncatula. Mutants of MtCKX genes did not cause morphological changes in aerial parts, suggesting functional redundancy, but disruption of specific MtCKX genes affected root development, highlighting the importance of cytokinins in regulating plant architecture.
JOURNAL OF PLANT PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yanxue Zhao, Lei Wang, Pengcheng Zhao, Zhongjie Liu, Siyi Guo, Yang Li, Hao Liu
Summary: This study investigated the HAK family in Medicago truncatula, providing a genetic description and evolutionary relationships. The expression levels of MtHAK genes under K+ deficiency, drought, and salt stresses were analyzed, revealing several highly up-regulated genes that may play essential roles in drought and salt tolerance. The findings lay the foundation for future molecular breeding of stress-resistant legume crops.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuanyuan Zhao, Junchao Zhang, Zhanmin Sun, Yixiong Tang, Yanmin Wu
Summary: The study conducted a systematic investigation of the PcG family in Medicago truncatula, identifying 64 PcG genes with uneven distribution and some genes undergoing duplication. The prediction of protein interaction network revealed that 34 MtPcG proteins exhibit protein-protein interactions, and the PcG proteins were divided into three groups and nine subgroups. The findings provide detailed insights into the PcG family in M. truncatula and offer potential for further research in legumes.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhijuan Chen, Joseph Ly Vu, Benoit Ly Vu, Julia Buitink, Olivier Leprince, Jerome Verdier
Summary: Legume seeds are crucial sources of proteins, minerals, and vitamins for human and animal diets, and their performance traits are influenced by the maternal environment. Heat stress during seed development can impact seed weight and germination capacity, with genome-wide association studies identifying potential genes involved in regulating these traits. MtMIEL1, a zinc finger family gene, was found to be associated with germination speed in heat-stressed seeds, highlighting its role in regulating seed traits under stress conditions.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Xiao Wang, Juanjuan Zhang, Jing Zhang, Chuanen Zhou, Lu Han
Summary: This study identified 11 AIL genes in the model legume and found that 4 of them are MtANT genes. The study revealed that MtANT genes play a crucial role in cell proliferation regulation during leaf growth in Medicago truncatula.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Zhe Meng, Yuwei Zhao, Lijie Liu, Xihua Du
Summary: PDIs play important roles in the endoplasmic reticulum by forming disulfide bonds, isomerization, and inhibiting protein misfolding. This study identified 17 putative PDI genes in Medicago truncatula and investigated their expression patterns and potential roles in response to ER stress. The findings provide insights into the biological roles of PDI genes in response to ER stress in Medicago.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jiaxian Jing, Peizhi Yang, Yue Wang, Qihao Qu, Jie An, Bingzhe Fu, Xiaoning Hu, Yi Zhou, Tianming Hu, Yuman Cao
Summary: Drought is a globally environmental stress that poses risks to agricultural production. Legumes with nodules show superior drought tolerance compared to those without nodules. Through transcriptome and sRNAome sequencing, the molecular mechanism of rhizobium symbiosis impacting drought tolerance was investigated. The results revealed that seedlings with active nodules exhibited enhanced drought tolerance due to the early effects of symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF). miRNA and its target genes were found to play a role in improved drought tolerance. The study highlights the importance of SNF plants in drought tolerance.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Weiyi Kong, Jia Shi, Bo Yang, Shuhan Yu, Pengcheng Zhao, Zhenfei Guo, Haifeng Zhu
Summary: In this study, the researchers identified and characterized 54 MtWAK genes in Medicago truncatula. These genes were distributed across all chromosomes, with a concentration on chromosomes 1 and 3. Comparison with other plant species revealed orthologous pairs between M. truncatula and Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as Glycine max. The expression patterns of MtWAK genes varied in different tissues, developmental stages, and biotic and abiotic stresses. The study provides insights into the molecular functions of MtWAKs in plant growth, development, and stress tolerance.
Article
Plant Sciences
Chang Wang, Zhe Liu, Zicheng Wang, Wenhui Pang, Long Zhang, Zhaozhu Wen, Yiran Zhao, Juan Sun, Zeng-Yu Wang, Chao Yang
Summary: Autotoxicity is a phenomenon in which a plant inhibits the growth of the same species through the release of toxic chemical compounds. This study found that the leguminous plant M. truncatula exhibits autotoxicity and allelopathic effects, providing a new model species for further research on autotoxicity and allelopathy.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Misganaw Wassie, Shurui Song, Liwen Cao, Liang Chen
Summary: This study reveals that overexpression of MtCBL13 in Arabidopsis increases sensitivity to drought stress. Transgenic plants overexpressing MtCBL13 exhibit enhanced sensitivity to mannitol and ABA treatments during seed germination and seedling stages. Furthermore, overexpression of MtCBL13 reduces drought tolerance in Arabidopsis, leading to increased oxidative damage, electrolyte leakage, lipid peroxidation, and water loss. These findings demonstrate that MtCBL13 negatively regulates drought tolerance through an ABA-dependent pathway.
ENVIRONMENTAL AND EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Zhongjie Lu, Zhengyu Yang, Zheng Tian, Qihui Gui, Rui Dong, Chao Chen
Summary: Numerous studies have shown that plant microRNAs (miRNAs) play key roles in plant growth and development, as well as in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. However, the role of miRNA in legumes under aluminum (Al) stress have rarely been reported. In this study, we sequenced a 12-strand-specific library of Medicago truncatula under Al stress and identified differentially expressed miRNAs and their corresponding target genes. Our findings contribute to a better understanding of the role of miRNAs in Al stress in legumes and provide a basis for studying the molecular mechanisms of Al stress regulation.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2023)
