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State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2023) | Viewed by 28055

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Elizabeth P. B. Fontes

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Guest Editor

Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Federal University of Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
Interests: antiviral immunity; geminivirus–host interactions; the molecular network of plant adaptive responses that in-tegrate the ER-unfolded protein response with the osmotic and cell death signals
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Pedro Braga dos Reis

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Guest Editor

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Department, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, 36570.000, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
Interests: abiotic stress response; epigenetics; functional genomics

Prof. Dr. Jurandir V. Magalhaes

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Guest Editor

Embrapa Maize and Sorghum, Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, 35701-970 Sete Lagoas, MG, Brazil
Interests: genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying abiotic stress tolerance in crop species; aluminum tolerance, drought tolerance; phosphorus efficiency

Prof. Dr. Robert N. G. Miller

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Guest Editor

Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Asa Norte, 70910-900 Brasilia, DF, Brazil
Interests: plant–microbe interactions; plant disease resistance and defense responses; functional genomics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Brazil is an important contributor to global agriculture and forestry and has long been recognized for its successful science-based agricultural programs. However, climate change is expected to considerably impact the way plants interact with the environment, threatening food security worldwide and demanding innovative solutions to feed a continuously growing population. In Brazil, cutting-edge genomic technologies in plant breeding and multi-omics research in conjunction with a myriad of approaches in plant sciences are currently being used to identify suitable functional variants as the foundation for sustainable food production under limited natural resources and more aggressive biotic and abiotic environments. In addition, the genetic diversity that already exists in Brazilian germplasms is being sustainably mined for favorable alleles and novel genes that may benefit agriculture in the tropical world. Ongoing molecular level research into plant receptors, signaling pathways, and downstream responses offers the potential for advancing our understanding of the mechanisms underlying both biotic and abiotic stress tolerance in crop species. Biotechnological tools for trait incorporation, such as those based on genetic modification and gene editing together with RNA interference silencing technologies, in addition to genomic selection approaches, are being used for downstream deployment into breeding programs, speeding up the release of adapted cultivars.

The aim of this Special Issue is to provide a comprehensive view of recent advances in plant sciences in Brazil at the molecular level. We invite original research and critical review papers that will consolidate our understanding in this area. Potential topics include but are not limited to the following:

Plant biotechnology
Abiotic interactions (water stress, heavy metals, soil acidity, etc.)
Biotic interactions (plant–pathogen and plant–pest interactions, plant immunity)
Biodiversity
Innovative molecular breeding strategies
Plant metabolism
Other related topics related to plant sciences in Brazil

Prof. Dr. Elizabeth P. B. Fontes
Prof. Dr. Pedro Braga dos Reis
Prof. Dr. Jurandir V. Magalhaes
Prof. Dr. Robert N. G. Miller
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. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. 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

biotic stress
plant immunity
abiotic stress
biodiversity
genetic improvement
multi-omics
plant bio-technology
genomic selection
plant development
metabolism

Published Papers (13 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

4 pages, 194 KiB

Open AccessEditorial

State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil

by Pedro Augusto Braga dos Reis, Jurandir Vieira Magalhaes, Robert Neil Gerard Miller and Elizabeth Pacheco Batista Fontes

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(10), 8909; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24108909 - 17 May 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 957

Abstract

Brazil has a crucial role in global food security and biodiversity, boasting one of the largest agricultural areas and two globally vital biomes, the Amazon and the Atlantic Forest [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

Research

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20 pages, 5410 KiB

Open AccessArticle

BASIDIN as a New Protein Effector of the Phytopathogen Causing Witche’s Broom Disease in Cocoa

by Keilane Silva Farias, Monaliza Macêdo Ferreira, Geiseane Veloso Amaral, Maria Zugaib, Ariana Silva Santos, Fábio Pinto Gomes, Rachel Passos Rezende, Karina Peres Gramacho, Eric Roberto Guimarães Rocha Aguiar and Carlos Priminho Pirovani

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(14), 11714; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241411714 - 20 Jul 2023

Viewed by 923

Abstract

The fungus Moniliophthora perniciosa secretes protein effectors that manipulate the physiology of the host plant, but few effectors of this fungus have had their functions confirmed. We performed functional characterization of a promising candidate effector of M. perniciosa. The inoculation of rBASIDIN at 4 µmol L⁻¹ in the mesophyll of leaflets of Solanum lycopersicum caused symptoms of shriveling within 6 h without the presence of necrosis. However, when sprayed on the plant at a concentration of 11 µmol L⁻¹, it caused wilting symptoms only 2 h after application, followed by necrosis and cell death at 48 h. rBASIDIN applied to Theobroma cacao leaves at the same concentration caused milder symptoms. rBASIDIN caused hydrogen peroxide production in leaf tissue, damaging the leaf membrane and negatively affecting the photosynthetic rate of Solanum lycopersicum plants. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that BASIDIN has orthologs in other phytopathogenic basidiomycetes. Analysis of the transcripts revealed that BASIDIN and its orthologs are expressed in different fungal species, suggesting that this protein is differentially regulated in these basidiomycetes. Therefore, the results of applying BASIDIN allow the inference that it is an effector of the fungus M. perniciosa, with a strong potential to interfere in the defense system of the host plant. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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17 pages, 3060 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Association Study for Root Morphology and Phosphorus Acquisition Efficiency in Diverse Maize Panels

by Carlos Alexandre Gomes Ribeiro, Sylvia Morais de Sousa Tinoco, Vander Fillipe de Souza, Barbara França Negri, Christine Marie Gault, Maria Marta Pastina, Jurandir Vieira Magalhaes, Lauro José Moreira Guimarães, Everaldo Gonçalves de Barros, Edward S. Buckler and Claudia Teixeira Guimaraes

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(7), 6233; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24076233 - 25 Mar 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1921

Abstract

Maximizing soil exploration through modifications of the root system is a strategy for plants to overcome phosphorus (P) deficiency. Genome-wide association with 561 tropical maize inbred lines from Embrapa and DTMA panels was undertaken for root morphology and P acquisition traits under low- and high-P concentrations, with 353,540 SNPs. P supply modified root morphology traits, biomass and P content in the global maize panel, but root length and root surface area changed differentially in Embrapa and DTMA panels. This suggests that different root plasticity mechanisms exist for maize adaptation to low-P conditions. A total of 87 SNPs were associated to phenotypic traits in both P conditions at −log₁₀(p-value) ≥ 5, whereas only seven SNPs reached the Bonferroni significance. Among these SNPs, S9_137746077, which is located upstream of the gene GRMZM2G378852 that encodes a MAPKKK protein kinase, was significantly associated with total seedling dry weight, with the same allele increasing root length and root surface area under P deficiency. The C allele of S8_88600375, mapped within GRMZM2G044531 that encodes an AGC kinase, significantly enhanced root length under low P, positively affecting root surface area and seedling weight. The broad genetic diversity evaluated in this panel suggests that candidate genes and favorable alleles could be exploited to improve P efficiency in maize breeding programs of Africa and Latin America. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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19 pages, 3165 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Stabilized Double-Stranded RNA Strategy Improves Cotton Resistance to CBW (Anthonomus grandis)

by Thuanne P. Ribeiro, Daniel D. N. Vasquez, Leonardo L. P. Macedo, Isabela T. Lourenço-Tessutti, David C. Valença, Osmundo B. Oliveira-Neto, Bruno Paes-de-Melo, Paolo L. Rodrigues-Silva, Alexandre A. P. Firmino, Marcos F. Basso, Camila B. J. Lins, Maysa R. Neves, Stefanie M. Moura, Bruna M. D. Tripode, José E. Miranda, Maria C. M. Silva and Maria F. Grossi-de-Sa

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(22), 13713; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232213713 - 8 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2273

Abstract

Cotton is the most important crop for fiber production worldwide. However, the cotton boll weevil (CBW) is an insect pest that causes significant economic losses in infested areas. Current control methods are costly, inefficient, and environmentally hazardous. Herein, we generated transgenic cotton lines expressing double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) molecules to trigger RNA interference-mediated gene silencing in CBW. Thus, we targeted three essential genes coding for chitin synthase 2, vitellogenin, and ecdysis-triggering hormone receptor. The stability of expressed dsRNAs was improved by designing a structured RNA based on a viroid genome architecture. We transformed cotton embryos by inserting a promoter-driven expression cassette that overexpressed the dsRNA into flower buds. The transgenic cotton plants were characterized, and positive PCR transformed events were detected with an average heritability of 80%. Expression of dsRNAs was confirmed in floral buds by RT-qPCR, and the T₁ cotton plant generation was challenged with fertilized CBW females. After 30 days, data showed high mortality (around 70%) in oviposited yolks. In adult insects fed on transgenic lines, chitin synthase II and vitellogenin showed reduced expression in larvae and adults, respectively. Developmental delays and abnormalities were also observed in these individuals. Our data remark on the potential of transgenic cotton based on a viroid-structured dsRNA to control CBW. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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27 pages, 5799 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptome Profiling of the Resistance Response of Musa acuminata subsp. burmannicoides, var. Calcutta 4 to Pseudocercospora musae

by Tatiana David Miranda Pinheiro, Erica Cristina Silva Rego, Gabriel Sergio Costa Alves, Fernando Campos De Assis Fonseca, Michelle Guitton Cotta, Jose Dijair Antonino, Taísa Godoy Gomes, Edson Perito Amorim, Claudia Fortes Ferreira, Marcos Mota Do Carmo Costa, Priscila Grynberg, Roberto Coiti Togawa and Robert Neil Gerard Miller

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(21), 13589; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232113589 - 5 Nov 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2059

Abstract

Banana (Musa spp.), which is one of the world’s most popular and most traded fruits, is highly susceptible to pests and diseases. Pseudocercospora musae, responsible for Sigatoka leaf spot disease, is a principal fungal pathogen of Musa spp., resulting in serious economic damage to cultivars in the Cavendish subgroup. The aim of this study was to characterize genetic components of the early immune response to P. musae in Musa acuminata subsp. burmannicoides, var. Calcutta 4, a resistant wild diploid. Leaf RNA samples were extracted from Calcutta 4 three days after inoculation with fungal conidiospores, with paired-end sequencing conducted in inoculated and non-inoculated controls using lllumina HiSeq 4000 technology. Following mapping to the reference M. acuminata ssp. malaccensis var. Pahang genome, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and expression representation analyzed on the basis of gene ontology enrichment, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes orthology and MapMan pathway analysis. Sequence data mapped to 29,757 gene transcript models in the reference Musa genome. A total of 1073 DEGs were identified in pathogen-inoculated cDNA libraries, in comparison to non-inoculated controls, with 32% overexpressed. GO enrichment analysis revealed common assignment to terms that included chitin binding, chitinase activity, pattern binding, oxidoreductase activity and transcription factor (TF) activity. Allocation to KEGG pathways revealed DEGs associated with environmental information processing, signaling, biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and metabolism of terpenoids and polyketides. With 144 up-regulated DEGs potentially involved in biotic stress response pathways, including genes involved in cell wall reinforcement, PTI responses, TF regulation, phytohormone signaling and secondary metabolism, data demonstrated diverse early-stage defense responses to P. musae. With increased understanding of the defense responses occurring during the incompatible interaction in resistant Calcutta 4, these data are appropriate for the development of effective disease management approaches based on genetic improvement through introgression of candidate genes in superior cultivars. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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19 pages, 3077 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Roles of Calcium Signaling in Gene Expression and Photosynthetic Acclimatization of Solanum lycopersicum Micro-Tom (MT) after Mechanical Damage

by Felipe Girotto Campos, Diana Pacheco Seixas, Gustavo Ribeiro Barzotto, Letícia Galhardo Jorge, Karina Renostro Ducatti, Gisela Ferreira, Tatiane Maria Rodrigues, Edvaldo Aparecido Amaral da Silva and Carmen Sílvia Fernandes Boaro

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(21), 13571; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232113571 - 5 Nov 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1341

Abstract

A momentary increase in cytoplasmic Ca²⁺ generates an oscillation responsible for the activation of proteins, such as calmodulin and kinases, which interact with reactive oxygen species (ROS) for the transmission of a stress signal. This study investigated the influence of variations in calcium concentrations on plant defense signaling and photosynthetic acclimatization after mechanical damage. Solanum lycopersicum Micro-Tom was grown with 0, 2 and 4 mM Ca²⁺, with and without mechanical damage. The expression of stress genes was evaluated, along with levels of antioxidant enzymes, hydrogen peroxide, lipid peroxidation, histochemistry, photosynthesis and dry mass of organs. The ROS production generated by mechanical damage was further enhanced by calcium-free conditions due to the inactivation of the oxygen evolution complex, contributing to an increase in reactive species. The results indicated that ROS affected mechanical damage signaling because calcium-free plants exhibited high levels of H₂O₂ and enhanced expression of kinase and RBOH1 genes, necessary conditions for an efficient response to stress. We conclude that the plants without calcium supply recognized mechanical damage but did not survive. The highest expression of the RBOH1 gene and the accumulation of H₂O₂ in these plants signaled cell death. Plants grown in the presence of calcium showed higher expression of SlCaM2 and control of H₂O₂ concentration, thus overcoming the stress caused by mechanical damage, with photosynthetic acclimatization and without damage to dry mass production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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34 pages, 3665 KiB

Open AccessArticle

RLPredictiOme, a Machine Learning-Derived Method for High-Throughput Prediction of Plant Receptor-like Proteins, Reveals Novel Classes of Transmembrane Receptors

by Jose Cleydson F. Silva, Marco Aurélio Ferreira, Thales F. M. Carvalho, Fabyano F. Silva, Sabrina de A. Silveira, Sergio H. Brommonschenkel and Elizabeth P. B. Fontes

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(20), 12176; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms232012176 - 12 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2619

Abstract

Cell surface receptors play essential roles in perceiving and processing external and internal signals at the cell surface of plants and animals. The receptor-like protein kinases (RLK) and receptor-like proteins (RLPs), two major classes of proteins with membrane receptor configuration, play a crucial role in plant development and disease defense. Although RLPs and RLKs share a similar single-pass transmembrane configuration, RLPs harbor short divergent C-terminal regions instead of the conserved kinase domain of RLKs. This RLP receptor structural design precludes sequence comparison algorithms from being used for high-throughput predictions of the RLP family in plant genomes, as has been extensively performed for RLK superfamily predictions. Here, we developed the RLPredictiOme, implemented with machine learning models in combination with Bayesian inference, capable of predicting RLP subfamilies in plant genomes. The ML models were simultaneously trained using six types of features, along with three stages to distinguish RLPs from non-RLPs (NRLPs), RLPs from RLKs, and classify new subfamilies of RLPs in plants. The ML models achieved high accuracy, precision, sensitivity, and specificity for predicting RLPs with relatively high probability ranging from 0.79 to 0.99. The prediction of the method was assessed with three datasets, two of which contained leucine-rich repeats (LRR)-RLPs from Arabidopsis and rice, and the last one consisted of the complete set of previously described Arabidopsis RLPs. In these validation tests, more than 90% of known RLPs were correctly predicted via RLPredictiOme. In addition to predicting previously characterized RLPs, RLPredictiOme uncovered new RLP subfamilies in the Arabidopsis genome. These include probable lipid transfer (PLT)-RLP, plastocyanin-like-RLP, ring finger-RLP, glycosyl-hydrolase-RLP, and glycerophosphoryldiester phosphodiesterase (GDPD, GDPDL)-RLP subfamilies, yet to be characterized. Compared to the only Arabidopsis GDPDL-RLK, molecular evolution studies confirmed that the ectodomain of GDPDL-RLPs might have undergone a purifying selection with a predominance of synonymous substitutions. Expression analyses revealed that predicted GDPGL-RLPs display a basal expression level and respond to developmental and biotic signals. The results of these biological assays indicate that these subfamily members have maintained functional domains during evolution and may play relevant roles in development and plant defense. Therefore, RLPredictiOme provides a framework for genome-wide surveys of the RLP superfamily as a foundation to rationalize functional studies of surface receptors and their relationships with different biological processes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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29 pages, 7654 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Functional Genetic Variations Underlying Flooding Tolerance in Brazilian Soybean Genotypes

by Luisa Abruzzi de Oliveira-Busatto, Cecilia Paz da Silva Giordano, Marília Ferreira da Silva, Darci Uhry Junior, Frank Guzman, Beatriz Wiebke-Strohm, Zenglu Li, Christian Bredemeier and Maria Helena Bodanese-Zanettini

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(18), 10611; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231810611 - 13 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1676

Abstract

Flooding is a frequent environmental stress that reduces soybean (Glycine max) growth and grain yield in many producing areas in the world, such as, e.g., in the United States, Southeast Asia and Southern Brazil. In these regions, soybean is frequently cultivated in lowland areas by rotating with rice (Oryza sativa), which provides numerous technical, economic and environmental benefits. Given these realities, this work aimed to characterize physiological responses, identify genes differentially expressed under flooding stress in Brazilian soybean genotypes with contrasting flooding tolerance, and select SNPs with potential use for marker-assisted selection. Soybean cultivars TECIRGA 6070 (flooding tolerant) and FUNDACEP 62 (flooding sensitive) were grown up to the V6 growth stage and then flooding stress was imposed. Total RNA was extracted from leaves 24 h after the stress was imposed and sequenced. In total, 421 induced and 291 repressed genes were identified in both genotypes. TECIRGA 6070 presented 284 and 460 genes up- and down-regulated, respectively, under flooding conditions. Of those, 100 and 148 genes were exclusively up- and down-regulated, respectively, in the tolerant genotype. Based on the RNA sequencing data, SNPs in differentially expressed genes in response to flooding stress were identified. Finally, 38 SNPs, located in genes with functional annotation for response to abiotic stresses, were found in TECIRGA 6070 and absent in FUNDACEP 62. To validate them, 22 SNPs were selected for designing KASP assays that were used to genotype a panel of 11 contrasting genotypes with known phenotypes. In addition, the phenotypic and grain yield impacts were analyzed in four field experiments using a panel of 166 Brazilian soybean genotypes. Five SNPs possibly related to flooding tolerance in Brazilian soybean genotypes were identified. The information generated from this research will be useful to develop soybean genotypes adapted to poorly drained soils or areas subject to flooding. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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25 pages, 4130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transgenic Sweet Orange Expressing the Sarcotoxin IA Gene Produces High-Quality Fruit and Shows Tolerance to ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’

by Talita Vigo Longhi, Deived Uilian de Carvalho, Izabela Moura Duin, Maria Aparecida da Cruz and Rui Pereira Leite Junior

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(16), 9300; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23169300 - 18 Aug 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1651

Abstract

Huanglongbing (otherwise known as HLB or greening) is currently the most devastating citrus disease worldwide. HLB is primarily associated with the phloem-inhabiting bacterium ‘Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus’ (CLas). Currently, there are no citrus species resistant to CLas. Genetic transformation is one of the most effective approaches used to induce resistance against plant diseases. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have shown potential breakthroughs to improve resistance to bacterial diseases in plants. In this paper, we confirm the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Pera sweet orange expressing the AMP sarcotoxin IA (stx IA) gene isolated from the flesh fly Sarcophaga peregrina and its reaction to CLas, involving plant performance and fruit quality assessments. Four independent transgenic lines, STX-5, STX-11, STX-12, and STX-13, and a non-transgenic control, were graft-inoculated with CLas. Based on our findings, none of the transgenic plants were immune to CLas. However, the STX-5 and STX-11 lines showed reduced susceptibility to HLB with mild disease symptoms and low incidence of plants with the presence of CLas. Fruit and juice quality were not affected by the genetic transformation. Further, no residues of the sarcotoxin IA protein were found in the juice of the STX-11 and STX-12 fruits, though detected in the juice of the STX-5 and STX-13 lines, as revealed by the immunoblotting test. However, juices from all transgenic lines showed low traces of sarcotoxin IA peptide in its composition. The accumulation of this peptide did not cause any deleterious effects on plants or in fruit/juice. Our findings reinforce the challenges of identifying novel approaches to managing HLB. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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Review

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30 pages, 5271 KiB

Open AccessReview

State of the Art of the Molecular Biology of the Interaction between Cocoa and Witches’ Broom Disease: A Systematic Review

by Ariana Silva Santos, Irma Yuliana Mora-Ocampo, Diogo Pereira Silva de Novais, Eric Roberto Guimarães Rocha Aguiar and Carlos Priminho Pirovani

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5684; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065684 - 16 Mar 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2260

Abstract

Significant scientific advances to elucidate the Moniliophthora perniciosa pathosystem have been achieved in recent years, but the molecular biology of this pathogen-host interaction is still a field with many unanswered questions. In order to present insights at the molecular level, we present the first systematic review on the theme. All told, 1118 studies were extracted from public databases. Of these, 109 were eligible for the review, based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The results indicated that understanding the transition from the biotrophic-necrotrophic phase of the fungus is crucial for control of the disease. Proteins with strong biotechnological potential or that can be targets for pathosystem intervention were identified, but studies regarding possible applications are still limited. The studies identified revealed important genes in the M. perniciosa-host interaction and efficient molecular markers in the search for genetic variability and sources of resistance, with Theobroma cacao being the most common host. An arsenal of effectors already identified and not explored in the pathosystem were highlighted. This systematic review contributes to the understanding of the pathosystem at the molecular level, offering new insights and proposing different paths for the development of new strategies to control witches’ broom disease. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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22 pages, 3046 KiB

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The Impact of Non-Nodulating Diazotrophic Bacteria in Agriculture: Understanding the Molecular Mechanisms That Benefit Crops

by Flávia Thiebaut, Maria Clara de Oliveira Urquiaga, Aline Cardozo Rosman, Mirielson Loures da Silva and Adriana Silva Hemerly

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(19), 11301; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911301 - 25 Sep 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3000

Abstract

Agriculture is facing increasing challenges with regard to achieving sustainable growth in productivity without negatively impacting the environment. The use of bioinoculants is emerging as a sustainable solution for agriculture, especially bioinoculants based on diazotrophic bacteria. Brazil is at the forefront of studies intended to identify beneficial diazotrophic bacteria, as well as in the molecular characterization of this association on both the bacterial and plant sides. Here we highlight the main advances in molecular studies to understand the benefits brought to plants by diazotrophic bacteria. Different molecular pathways in plants are regulated both genetically and epigenetically, providing better plant performance. Among them, we discuss the involvement of genes related to nitrogen metabolism, cell wall formation, antioxidant metabolism, and regulation of phytohormones that can coordinate plant responses to environmental factors. Another important aspect in this regard is how the plant recognizes the microorganism as beneficial. A better understanding of plant–bacteria–environment interactions can assist in the future formulation of more efficient bioinoculants, which could in turn contribute to more sustainable agriculture practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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34 pages, 2464 KiB

Open AccessReview

Metabolism and Signaling of Plant Mitochondria in Adaptation to Environmental Stresses

by Pedro Barreto, Alessandra Koltun, Juliana Nonato, Juliana Yassitepe, Ivan de Godoy Maia and Paulo Arruda

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(19), 11176; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms231911176 - 23 Sep 2022

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2972

Abstract

The interaction of mitochondria with cellular components evolved differently in plants and mammals; in plants, the organelle contains proteins such as ALTERNATIVE OXIDASES (AOXs), which, in conjunction with internal and external ALTERNATIVE NAD(P)H DEHYDROGENASES, allow canonical oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) to be bypassed. Plant mitochondria also contain UNCOUPLING PROTEINS (UCPs) that bypass OXPHOS. Recent work revealed that OXPHOS bypass performed by AOXs and UCPs is linked with new mechanisms of mitochondrial retrograde signaling. AOX is functionally associated with the NO APICAL MERISTEM transcription factors, which mediate mitochondrial retrograde signaling, while UCP1 can regulate the plant oxygen-sensing mechanism via the PRT6 N-Degron. Here, we discuss the crosstalk or the independent action of AOXs and UCPs on mitochondrial retrograde signaling associated with abiotic stress responses. We also discuss how mitochondrial function and retrograde signaling mechanisms affect chloroplast function. Additionally, we discuss how mitochondrial inner membrane transporters can mediate mitochondrial communication with other organelles. Lastly, we review how mitochondrial metabolism can be used to improve crop resilience to environmental stresses. In this respect, we particularly focus on the contribution of Brazilian research groups to advances in the topic of mitochondrial metabolism and signaling. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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17 pages, 2774 KiB

Open AccessReview

G-Protein Phosphorylation: Aspects of Binding Specificity and Function in the Plant Kingdom

by Celio Cabral Oliveira, Alan M. Jones, Elizabeth Pacheco Batista Fontes and Pedro A. Braga dos Reis

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6544; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms23126544 - 11 Jun 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2737

Abstract

Plant survival depends on adaptive mechanisms that constantly rely on signal recognition and transduction. The predominant class of signal discriminators is receptor kinases, with a vast member composition in plants. The transduction of signals occurs in part by a simple repertoire of heterotrimeric G proteins, with a core composed of α-, β-, and γ-subunits, together with a 7-transmembrane Regulator G Signaling (RGS) protein. With a small repertoire of G proteins in plants, phosphorylation by receptor kinases is critical in regulating the active state of the G-protein complex. This review describes the in vivo detected phosphosites in plant G proteins and conservation scores, and their in vitro corresponding kinases. Furthermore, recently described outcomes, including novel arrestin-like internalization of RGS and a non-canonical phosphorylation switching mechanism that drives G-protein plasticity, are discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue State-of-the-Art Molecular Plant Sciences in Brazil)

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