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Biomolecules
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Biomolecules as Potential Growth Regulators in Plants Facing Abiotic Stress
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Biomolecules as Potential Growth Regulators in Plants Facing Abiotic Stress

A special issue of Biomolecules (ISSN 2218-273X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 April 2021) | Viewed by 24512

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Anket Sharma

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Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry & Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, China
Interests: plant ecophysiology; heavy metal; pesticide pollution assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Marco Landi

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Guest Editor
Department of Agriculture, Food and Environment, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy
Interests: abiotic stress; anthocyanins; metal toxicity; oxidative stress; volatiles
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Marian Brestic

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Guest Editor
Department of Plant Physiology, The Slovak University of Agriculture, 94976 Nitra, Slovakia
Interests: crop physiology; drought and high-temperature stress; photosynthesis; noninvasive methods; chlorophyll fluorescence; secondary metabolism
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Xinghong Yang

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Guest Editor
College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Taian, China
Prof. Dr. Bingsong Zheng

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Guest Editor
The State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, School of Forestry & Biotechnology, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 311300, China
Interests: abiotic stress tolerance; grafting and auxin signalling; plant hormones; plant ecophysiology; plant molecular biology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the present era, plants are facing a plethora of environmental cues during their life cycle, and one of the major threats for their growth is abiotic stress. The main abiotic stresses threatening plants are water scarcity, salinity, extreme temperatures, heavy metals, and pesticides. These stresses cause, directly or indirectly, toxicity to plants, altering their growth and development, and ultimately reduce plant productivity. However, plants can counter the detrimental effects of abiotic stresses by physiological and biochemical responses. The main response of plants against phytotoxicity is the activation of the internal defense system.

In the last two decades, a large number of researchers have explored the roles of functional biomolecules in ameliorating the resistance of plants under stress conditions. These biomolecules include plant growth regulators (PGRs) with trivial functions in regulation of plant biology. They act as stimulators for various physiological processes by regulating key cell signaling pathways. Their exogenous application helps the plant to counteract the negative effect of abiotic stressors, thereby increasing the possibility to survive under stress condition. At present, researchers are intensively studying the intimal mechanisms by which PGR stimulate plant reactions through physiological, biochemical, and molecular approaches.

This Special Issue is devoted but not restricted to understanding the in-depth mechanisms (physiological, molecular, and metabolic responses, including approaches like proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics) of PGR action in regulating the biology of plants under adverse conditions. Original articles as well as focused reviews and viewpoints are welcome.

Dr. Anket Sharma
Dr. Marco Landi
Prof. Dr. Marian Brestic
Prof. Dr. Xinghong Yang
Prof. Dr. Bingsong Zheng
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biomolecules is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • biomolecules
  • plant hormones
  • plant growth regulators
  • environmental stresses
  • abiotic stress tolerance

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 4851 KiB  
Article
Amelioration of Chlorpyrifos-Induced Toxicity in Brassica juncea L. by Combination of 24-Epibrassinolide and Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria
by Palak Bakshi, Rekha Chouhan, Pooja Sharma, Bilal Ahmad Mir, Sumit G. Gandhi, Marco Landi, Bingsong Zheng, Anket Sharma and Renu Bhardwaj
Biomolecules 2021, 11(6), 877; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11060877 - 12 Jun 2021
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3179
Abstract
Pervasive use of chlorpyrifos (CP), an organophosphorus pesticide, has been proven to be fatal for plant growth, especially at higher concentrations. CP poisoning leads to growth inhibition, chlorosis, browning of roots and lipid and protein degradation, along with membrane dysfunction and nuclear damage. [...] Read more.
Pervasive use of chlorpyrifos (CP), an organophosphorus pesticide, has been proven to be fatal for plant growth, especially at higher concentrations. CP poisoning leads to growth inhibition, chlorosis, browning of roots and lipid and protein degradation, along with membrane dysfunction and nuclear damage. Plants form a linking bridge between the underground and above-ground communities to escape from the unfavourable conditions. Association with beneficial rhizobacteria promotes the growth and development of the plants. Plant hormones are crucial regulators of basically every aspect of plant development. The growing significance of plant hormones in mediating plant–microbe interactions in stress recovery in plants has been extensively highlighted. Hence, the goal of the current study was to investigate the effect of 24-epibrassinolide (EBL) and PGPRs (Pseudomonas aeruginosa (Ma), Burkholderia gladioli (Mb)) on growth and the antioxidative defence system of CP-stressed Brassica juncea L. seedlings. CP toxicity reduced the germination potential, hypocotyl and radicle development and vigour index, which was maximally recuperated after priming with EBL and Mb. CP-exposed seedlings showed higher levels of superoxide anion (O2−), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage (EL) and a lower level of nitric oxide (NO). In-vivo visualisation of CP-stressed seedlings using a light and fluorescent microscope also revealed the increase in O2−, H2O2 and lipid peroxidation, and decreased NO levels. The combination of EBL and PGPRs reduced the reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents and improved the NO level. In CP-stressed seedlings, increased gene expression of defence enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), ascorbate peroxidase (APOX), glutathione peroxidase (GPOX), dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) and glutathione reductase (GPOX) was seen, with the exception of catalase (CAT) on supplementation with EBL and PGPRs. The activity of nitrate reductase (NR) was likewise shown to increase after treatment with EBL and PGPRs. The results obtained from the present study substantiate sufficient evidence regarding the positive association of EBL and PGPRs in amelioration of CP-induced oxidative stress in Brassica juncea seedlings by strengthening the antioxidative defence machinery. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules as Potential Growth Regulators in Plants Facing Abiotic Stress)
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16 pages, 2669 KiB  
Article
Transcriptome and Metabolome Reveal Salt-Stress Responses of Leaf Tissues from Dendrobium officinale
by Mingze Zhang, Zhenming Yu, Danqi Zeng, Can Si, Conghui Zhao, Haobin Wang, Chuanmao Li, Chunmei He and Jun Duan
Biomolecules 2021, 11(5), 736; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11050736 - 15 May 2021
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 3278
Abstract
Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo is a precious traditional Chinese medicine. Despite D. officinale displaying a good salt-tolerance level, the yield and growth of D. officinale were impaired drastically by the increasing soil secondary salinization. The molecular mechanisms of D. officinale [...] Read more.
Dendrobium officinale Kimura et Migo is a precious traditional Chinese medicine. Despite D. officinale displaying a good salt-tolerance level, the yield and growth of D. officinale were impaired drastically by the increasing soil secondary salinization. The molecular mechanisms of D. officinale plants’ adaptation to salt stress are not well documented. Therefore, in the present study, D. officinale plants were treated with 250 mM NaCl. Transcriptome analysis showed that salt stress significantly altered various metabolic pathways, including phenylalanine metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, and α-linolenic acid metabolism, and significantly upregulated the mRNA expression levels of DoAOC, DoAOS, DoLOX2S, DoMFP, and DoOPR involved in the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis pathway, as well as rutin synthesis genes involved in the flavonoid synthesis pathway. In addition, metabolomics analysis showed that salt stress induced the accumulation of some compounds in D. officinale leaves, especially flavonoids, sugars, and alkaloids, which may play an important role in salt-stress responses of leaf tissues from D. officinale. Moreover, salt stress could trigger JA biosynthesis, and JA may act as a signal molecule that promotes flavonoid biosynthesis in D. officinale leaves. To sum up, D. officinale plants adapted to salt stress by enhancing the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules as Potential Growth Regulators in Plants Facing Abiotic Stress)
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22 pages, 1582 KiB  
Article
Physiological, Transcriptomic, and Metabolic Responses of Ginkgo biloba L. to Drought, Salt, and Heat Stresses
by Bang Chang, Kaibiao Ma, Zhaogeng Lu, Jinkai Lu, Jiawen Cui, Li Wang and Biao Jin
Biomolecules 2020, 10(12), 1635; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10121635 - 03 Dec 2020
Cited by 26 | Viewed by 3360
Abstract
Ginkgo biloba L. is highly adaptable and resistant to a range of abiotic stressors, allowing its growth in various environments. However, it is unclear how G. biloba responds to common environmental stresses. We explored the physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolic responses of G. biloba [...] Read more.
Ginkgo biloba L. is highly adaptable and resistant to a range of abiotic stressors, allowing its growth in various environments. However, it is unclear how G. biloba responds to common environmental stresses. We explored the physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolic responses of G. biloba to short-term drought, salt, and heat stresses. Proline, H2O2, and ABA contents, along with CAT activity, increased under all three types of stress. SOD activity increased under salt and heat stresses, while soluble protein and IAA contents decreased under drought and salt stresses. With respect to metabolites, D-glyceric acid increased in response to drought and salt stresses, whereas isomaltose 1, oxalamide, and threonine 2 increased under drought. Piceatannol 2,4-hydroxybutyrate and 1,3-diaminopropane increased under salt stress, whereas 4-aminobutyric acid 1 and galactonic acid increased in response to heat stress. Genes regulating nitrogen assimilation were upregulated only under drought, while the GRAS gene was upregulated under all three types of stressors. ARF genes were downregulated under heat stress, whereas genes encoding HSF and SPL were upregulated. Additionally, we predicted that miR156, miR160, miR172, and their target genes participate in stress responses. Our study provides valuable data for studying the multilevel response to drought, salinity, and heat in G. biloba. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules as Potential Growth Regulators in Plants Facing Abiotic Stress)
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18 pages, 2961 KiB  
Article
Effect of Citric Acid on Growth, Ecophysiology, Chloroplast Ultrastructure, and Phytoremediation Potential of Jute (Corchorus capsularis L.) Seedlings Exposed to Copper Stress
by Aasma Parveen, Muhammad Hamzah Saleem, Muhammad Kamran, Muhammad Zulqurnain Haider, Jen-Tsung Chen, Zaffar Malik, Muhammad Shoaib Rana, Amara Hassan, Ghulam Hur, Muhammad Tariq Javed and Muhammad Azeem
Biomolecules 2020, 10(4), 592; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom10040592 - 11 Apr 2020
Cited by 89 | Viewed by 4402
Abstract
Soil and water contamination from heavy metals and metalloids is one of the most discussed and caused adverse effects on food safety and marketability, crop growth due to phytotoxicity, and environmental health of soil organisms. A hydroponic investigation was executed to evaluate the [...] Read more.
Soil and water contamination from heavy metals and metalloids is one of the most discussed and caused adverse effects on food safety and marketability, crop growth due to phytotoxicity, and environmental health of soil organisms. A hydroponic investigation was executed to evaluate the influence of citric acid (CA) on copper (Cu) phytoextraction potential of jute (Corchorus capsularis L.). Three-weeks-old seedlings of C. capsularis were exposed to different Cu concentrations (0, 50, and 100 μM) with or without the application of CA (2 mM) in a nutrient growth medium. The results revealed that exposure of various levels of Cu by 50 and 100 μM significantly (p < 0.05) reduced plant growth, biomass, chlorophyll contents, gaseous exchange attributes, and damaged ultra-structure of chloroplast in C. capsularis seedlings. Furthermore, Cu toxicity also enhanced the production of malondialdehyde (MDA) which indicated the Cu-induced oxidative damage in the leaves of C. capsularis seedlings. Increasing the level of Cu in the nutrient solution significantly increased Cu uptake by the roots and shoots of C. capsularis seedlings. The application of CA into the nutrient medium significantly alleviated Cu phytotoxicity effects on C. capsularis seedlings as seen by plant growth and biomass, chlorophyll contents, gaseous exchange attributes, and ultra-structure of chloroplast. Moreover, CA supplementation also alleviated Cu-induced oxidative stress by reducing the contents of MDA. In addition, application of CA is helpful in increasing phytoremediation potential of the plant by increasing Cu concentration in the roots and shoots of the plants which is manifested by increasing the values of bioaccumulation (BAF) and translocation factors (TF) also. These observations depicted that application of CA could be a useful approach to assist Cu phytoextraction and stress tolerance against Cu in C. capsularis seedlings grown in Cu contaminated sites. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules as Potential Growth Regulators in Plants Facing Abiotic Stress)
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Review

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30 pages, 3914 KiB  
Review
Transcription Factors Interact with ABA through Gene Expression and Signaling Pathways to Mitigate Drought and Salinity Stress
by Quaid Hussain, Muhammad Asim, Rui Zhang, Rayyan Khan, Saqib Farooq and Jiasheng Wu
Biomolecules 2021, 11(8), 1159; https://doi.org/10.3390/biom11081159 - 05 Aug 2021
Cited by 82 | Viewed by 8702
Abstract
Among abiotic stressors, drought and salinity seriously affect crop growth worldwide. In plants, research has aimed to increase stress-responsive protein synthesis upstream or downstream of the various transcription factors (TFs) that alleviate drought and salinity stress. TFs play diverse roles in controlling gene [...] Read more.
Among abiotic stressors, drought and salinity seriously affect crop growth worldwide. In plants, research has aimed to increase stress-responsive protein synthesis upstream or downstream of the various transcription factors (TFs) that alleviate drought and salinity stress. TFs play diverse roles in controlling gene expression in plants, which is necessary to regulate biological processes, such as development and environmental stress responses. In general, plant responses to different stress conditions may be either abscisic acid (ABA)-dependent or ABA-independent. A detailed understanding of how TF pathways and ABA interact to cause stress responses is essential to improve tolerance to drought and salinity stress. Despite previous progress, more active approaches based on TFs are the current focus. Therefore, the present review emphasizes the recent advancements in complex cascades of gene expression during drought and salinity responses, especially identifying the specificity and crosstalk in ABA-dependent and -independent signaling pathways. This review also highlights the transcriptional regulation of gene expression governed by various key TF pathways, including AP2/ERF, bHLH, bZIP, DREB, GATA, HD-Zip, Homeo-box, MADS-box, MYB, NAC, Tri-helix, WHIRLY, WOX, WRKY, YABBY, and zinc finger, operating in ABA-dependent and -independent signaling pathways. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomolecules as Potential Growth Regulators in Plants Facing Abiotic Stress)
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