Proline Levels Research Articles

Morphological and Biochemical Responses of Three Durum Wheat Varieties to Aphid (Rhopalosiphum maidis) Infestation

Aphids cause biotic stress and vector diseases. However, wheat’s morphological and biochemical responses to aphid infestation are poorly studied. Our study evaluated the varietal behavior of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf) against Rhopalosiphum maidis (Homoptera: Aphididae) in laboratory conditions. We studied morphological trait variation (plant height [HP], flag leaf area [SFDF], leaf area [SF], spike length [LE], and beard length [LB]) and biochemical characteristics (chlorophyll, soluble sugars, and proline contents) of three varieties in Algeria: MBB, BOU, and GTA. MBB is the least affected, with a 13.34 % infestation rate. The heaviest infestation occurs during the heading stage. All morphological factors decreased in length or surface between control and infested samples. ANOVA showed significant variations for HP, LE, SFDF, and SF but not LB. Biochemical parameters decrease in GTA. In MBB, chlorophyll and soluble sugars decrease while proline increases. For BOU, soluble sugars decrease while chlorophyll and proline increase. Only soluble sugars showed a significant statistical variation between control and infested plants. HP is affected by aphid infestation, which is of higher significance for MBB. Proline content is affected in BOU and GTA. There is no significant variation between aphid infestation and chlorophyll, soluble sugars, and proline levels for MBB. The effect of R. maidis infestation is less important on MBB. HP, SFDF, SF, and LE are morphological selection criteria for R. maidis infestation resistance. Proline is a biochemical selection criterion. Genetic and molecular analyses are required to identify genes for programs that enhance durum wheat’s resistance to R. maidis infestations.

Silicon Improves Cold and Freezing Tolerance in Pea

The most significant crop losses worldwide occur due to unfavorable temperatures such as heat, drought, cold, and freezing. Minerals like silicon can play important roles in the growth, development, and stress responses of plants. In this study, changes in stem/root length, dry weight, relative water content and silicon content, of peas under cold and freezing stress, as well as antioxidant system indicators such as proline, malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and chlorophyll levels, ion leakage, and the expressions of genes coding for the topoisomerase TOP2 and DNA helicase PDH47 enzymes, which play important roles in the replication, transcription, and repair of DNA molecules, were examined in root and stem tissues in the presence of two different concentrations of silicon. The results of the study showed that silicon application under cold and freezing stresses has induced various changes in pea metabolism, including increases in cell membrane integrity parameters and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity, as well as increase in the expressions of TOP2 and PDH47 genes. These changes have been found to have positive effects on the pea cold and freezing tolerance.

Метаболомное профилирование пациентов с ревматоидным артритом (пилотное исследование)

Background. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by progressive joint damage and leading to early disability in patients. The main purpose of its treatment is to alleviate the pain caused by the disease, delay the development of the disease, reduce the morbidity rate, and improve the quality of life of patients. At present the specificity and sensitivity of RA diagnosis methods are not convincing. In recent decades, research has focused on pathogenesis and the discovery of potential biomarkers using new and high-precision methods, in particular metabolomics. Metabolomics is an science studying low molecular weight compounds (metabolites) involved in biochemical processes and being the end products of metabolism. Metabolites reflect the current state of the humans body and can therefore serve as perspective biomarkers. Aim. To study the metabolomic profile of patients with RA without therapy in order to search for potential biomarkers for diagnosis and evaluation of therapy. Material and methods. The main study group consisted of 14 patients with a newly diagnosed RA – de novo RA. 16 healthy volunteers formed the control group. Metabolites in blood plasma were studied using ultra-performance liquid chromatography in combination with a triple quadrupole analyzer. A total of 93 metabolites were analyzed in de novo RA patients and healthy controls. In the group of RA patients the relationship of these metabolites with DAS28 activity, CRP, ESR, the presence of RF and ACCP were analyzed. Results. The most significant metabolites that play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA were identified: leucine/isoleucine, tyrosine, lysine, valine, phenylalanine, proline, ornithine, glutamine aspartate and long-chain acylcarnitines (C14, C14-OH, C16-1, C18). We found a correlation between DAS28 and leucine (p=0.03) and proline (p=0.05) levels. An inverse correlation was established between ACCP and glutamine (p=0,041) and a direct correlation between ACCP and proline (p=0.039), an inverse correlation between RF and phenylalanine (p=0.0491) and histidine (p=0.04). Conclusion. Metabolomics provides promising opportunities for further research in RA as it allows to identify metabolites most associated with disease, which can improve the accuracy of RA diagnosis and serve as targets for therapy

Proline metabolism and its osmotic regulatory role in enhancing hypersalinity tolerance of the razor clam (Sinonovacula constricta)

Proline serves as an important osmolyte in maintaining osmotic pressure and stabilizing cellular structure in aquatic organisms, and is essential for adaptation to salinity stress. This study focuses on the razor clam (Sinonovacula constricta), and investigated the metabolism and synthesis of proline in response to changing salinity. The proline content in gill tissues of razor clams significantly increased over time and with different levels of salinity exposure. The key genes involved in proline metabolism, including (Aminotransferase (ScOAT), Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylic acid synthase (ScP5CS), and proline dehydrogenase (ScProDH) were investigated, as well as enzyme activities associated with these genes in razor clams. The expression and activity of P5CS increased significantly under hypersalinity conditions, whereas that of OAT enzyme activity decreased. This suggested that the glutamate pathway had an important role in the proline synthesis during hypersalinity. ProDH activity was negatively correlated with salinity and regulated by the proline content, indicating a significant role of ProDH in proline accumulation under hypersalinity conditions. ScP5CS was heterologously expressed in yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, followed by exogenous proline supplementation studies. Recombinant S. cerevisiae incubated with ScP5CS exhibited elevated levels of proline, with the growth performance of recombinant strain surpassing that of the control group after salinity stress. In addition, razor clams exposed to exogenous proline under high salinity conditions showed expedite osmotic regulation, whereby the hemolymph pressure reached equilibrium more quickly. Together, these results indicated that the proline content increased under high salinity, which could improve the tolerance of razor clams to hypersalinity, offering novel perspectives into molecular mechanism of salinity adaptation in shellfish.

Effect of Selenium and Garlic Extract Treatments of Seed-Addressed Lettuce Plants on Biofortification Level, Seed Productivity and Mature Plant Yield and Quality.

The enhancement of the plant seed yield and quality represents the basis of the successful productivity of the deriving crop. The effect of single and combined foliar treatments of lettuce plants with sodium selenate and garlic bulb extract on seed yield and quality and on mature plant biochemical characteristics was investigated using four lettuce cultivars (Bouquet, Picnic, Moskovsky parnikovy and Cavalier). The seed production of plants treated with Se increased by 20-41%, compared to the untreated control plants, while the augmentation was as much as 10-23% and 17-27% under garlic extract and the joint application of Se and garlic, respectively. Garlic extract stimulated the accumulation of Se in lettuce seeds, which rose by 1.21-1.29 times compared to the Se-treated plants. The proline levels in lettuce seeds exceeded the corresponding values recorded in the control ones by 1.32-1.64 times in the case of the Se supply, 1.10-1.47 times upon garlic extract application and 1.09-1.31 times under the combined Se/garlic treatment. All the treatments given to lettuce plants increased the leaf weight by 1.10-1.30 times, compared to the untreated control. The seed Se levels positively correlated with the leaf weight (r = 0.621; p < 0.005), chlorophyll (r = 0.672, p < 0.002) and total antioxidant activity (AOA; r = 0.730, p < 0.001) of plants grown from these seeds. Positive correlations were also recorded between the seed proline content and lettuce plant leaf weight, chlorophyll and AOA (r = 0.868, 0.811 and 0.815, respectively, at p < 0.001). Lettuce yield was positively correlated with the leaf AOA, chlorophyll and ascorbic acid content (r = 0.942, 0.921 and 0.665, respectively, at p < 0.001). The results indicate high prospects of Na2SeO4 and garlic extract application to seed-addressed lettuce plants, to improve seed productivity and quality, as well as lettuce yield and quality.

Physiological and metabolic analyses reveal the proline-mediated flowering delay mechanism in Prunus persica.

Peaches are susceptible to various environmental stresses. Particularly in late spring, freezing temperatures can damage peaches and consequently, affect their productivity. Therefore, flowering delay is a prominent strategy for avoiding spring frost damage. Our previous study confirmed that treatment with 5% sodium alginate and 100 mM CaCl2 (5AG) to avoid frost damage during the blooming stage delays flowering. To reveal the flowering delay mechanism of peaches, this study systematically analyzed the modification of amino acid profiles in control and 5AG-treated peach plants at different day intervals. Our findings indicate that arginine (Arg), glutamate (Glu), and proline (Pro) levels differed between the control and 5AG-treated peach shoots throughout the phenological development of flower buds. Furthermore, two amino acids (Arg and Glu) are involved in the Pro pathway. Thus, using a computational metabolomics method, Pro biosynthesis and its characteristics, gene ontology, gene synteny, cis-regulatory elements, and gene organizations were examined to decipher the involvement of Pro metabolism in peach flowering delay. In addition, qRT-PCR analysis revealed the transcriptional regulation of Pro-related and flowering-responsive genes and their role in flowering delay. Overall, this pilot study provides new insights into the role of Pro in the flowering delay mechanisms in Prunus persica through 5AG treatment.

Potential of Drought Tolerant Rhizobacteria Amended with Biochar on Growth Promotion in Wheat.

Drought stress is the prime obstacle for worldwide agricultural production and necessitates innovative strategies for enhancing crop resilience. This study explores the efficacy of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) and biochar (BC) as sustainable amendments for mitigating the effects of drought on wheat growth. Multiple experiments were carried out on isolated strains to assess their drought tolerance potential and multiple plant growth-promoting attributes. Experiments in the laboratory and natural environment were conducted to assess the impact of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, biochar, and their synergistic application on various growth parameters of wheat. The results revealed that the drought-tolerant PGPR strains (Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus tequilensis), alongside biochar (rice husk), alleviated the phytotoxic impact of drought by increasing the root length from 17.0% to 70.0% and shoot length from 30.0% to 82.0% as compared to un-inoculated stressed controls. The total chlorophyll and carotenoid contents of the plants were substantially increased to 477% and 423%, respectively, when biochar and PGPR were applied synergistically. Significant enhancements in membrane stability index, relative water content, proline, and sugar level were achieved by combining biochar and bacterial strains, resulting in increases of 19.5%, 37.9%, 219%, and 300%, respectively. The yield of wheat in terms of plant height, spike length, number of spikelets per spike, and number of grains per spike was enhanced from 26.7% to 44.6%, 23.5% to 62.7%, 91.5% to 154%, and 137% to 182%, respectively. It was concluded that the biochar-based application of PGPR induced drought tolerance in wheat under water deficit conditions, ultimately improving the production and yield of wheat.

Exploring the impact of endophytic bacteria on mitigating salinity stress in Solanum lycopersicum L.

In the era of climate change, plants are being compelled to adapt and endure progressively in unfavorable environments. Applying biostimulants to plants can improve their growth and resilience by mitigating the adverse effects of abiotic stresses. Endophytes are well-known for promoting plant growth and producing natural compounds. The current study focuses on the ability of endophytic bacteria to increase plant growth and reduce salt stress in tomato plants. Nine isolates from the stems of Fagonia indica and Ajuga bracteosa showed a variety of salt stress tolerances as well as solubilizing phosphate, indole acetic acid, ammonia production, siderophore production, and extracellular enzymes like protease, cellulase, and chitinase. Four Endophytic bacteria Enterobacter hormaechei (MOSEL-FLS1), Stenotrophomonas maltophilia (MOSEL-FLS2), Bacillus subtilis (MOSEL-S8), and Staphylococcus epidermidis (MOSEL-S9) were selected based on plant growth promoting traits and halotolerant assay. These endophytic bacteria were subjected to ex-situ activities to figure out their capacity to stimulate the growth of the tomato plant in the growth room under different concentrations of NaCl (50–200 mM). All bacterial strains stimulated tomato plant growth under salinity stress compared to uninoculated controls. Antioxidant enzymes (SOD and POD), chlorophyll, and proline level in the plants was increased after salt treatment. Moreover, the activity of antioxidant enzymes and their relative transcript levels were dependent on the concentration of salinity stress. These findings highlight the varied microbial community linked to medicinal plants and their capacity to promote plant growth, potentially mitigating salt stress through the regulation of osmolytes and antioxidant enzymes. This makes them promising contenders for biofertilizers.

Transgenerational Seed Exposure to Elevated CO2 Involves Stress Memory Regulation at Metabolic Levels to Confer Drought Resistance in Wheat.

Drought is the worst environmental stress constraint that inflicts heavy losses to global food production, such as wheat. The metabolic responses of seeds produced overtransgenerational exposure to e[CO2] to recover drought's effects on wheat are still unexplored. Seeds were produced constantly for four generations (F1 to F4) under ambient CO2 (a[CO2], 400 μmol L-1) and elevated CO2 (e[CO2], 800 μmol L-1) concentrations, and then further regrown under natural CO2 conditions to investigate their effects on the stress memory metabolic processes liable for increasing drought resistance in the next generation (F5). At the anthesis stage, plants were subjected to normal (100% FC, field capacity) and drought stress (60% FC) conditions. Under drought stress, plants of transgenerational e[CO2] exposed seeds showed markedly increased superoxide dismutase (16%), catalase (24%), peroxidase (9%), total antioxidants (14%), and proline (35%) levels that helped the plants to sustain normal growth through scavenging of hydrogen peroxide (11%) and malondialdehyde (26%). The carbohydrate metabolic enzymes such as aldolase (36%), phosphoglucomutase (12%), UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (25%), vacuolar invertase (33%), glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase (68%), and cell wall invertase (17%) were decreased significantly; however, transgenerational seeds produced under e[CO2] showed a considerable increase in their activities in drought-stressed wheat plants. Moreover, transgenerational e[CO2] exposed seeds under drought stress caused a marked increase in leaf Ψw (15%), chlorophyll a (19%), chlorophyll b (8%), carotenoids (12%), grain spike (16%), hundred grain weight (19%), and grain yield (10%). Hence, transgenerational seeds exposed to e[CO2] upregulate the drought recovery metabolic processes to improve the grain yield of wheat under drought stress conditions.

BIOCHEMICAL RESPONSES IN AGROBACTERIUM-INFECTED OILSEED RAPE EXPLANTS DURING EARLY STAGES OF REGENERATION IN THE PRESENCE OF DITHIOTHREITOL

We investigated the impact of exogenous dithiothreitol on the activities of enzymatic antioxidants ascorbate peroxidase and catalase, and the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants and osmoprotectant proline, and total soluble sugars in Agrobacterium-infected and non-infected (control) explants of oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) after the 3rd and 17th day of in vitro culture. This investigation was conducted with or without dithiothreitol at a concentration of 1 mg/L. Dithiothreitol is a sulphur-containing compound that act as a reducing agent, impacting the redox environment within plant cells. Explants were obtained from six-day-old hypocotyls of the cultivars Ability and Lancia, and infected with Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 carrying the binary vector. The application of dithiothreitol into co-cultivation and regeneration media led to a significant decrease in the activities of ascorbate peroxidase and catalase in both infected and non-infected explants of both cultivars. In contrast, explants regenerated without dithiothreitol exhibited a significant increase in ascorbate peroxidase activity and a decrease in catalase activity, although the decrease in catalase activity was not as pronounced. The proline content increased significantly in all analysed explants, with the highest increase observed in explants regenerated in the presence of dithiothreitol. This suggests that dithiothreitol might indirectly contribute to the reduced formation of reactive oxygen species, which is generally negatively correlated with transformation efficiency.

Influence of repeated mastitis on the milk production and metabolic status in the subsequent lactation period of dairy cattle

Recurrent mastitis poses a common challenge on dairy farms. While the impact of repeated mastitis within the same lactation has been investigated, the difference from one lactation to the next, particularly concerning the change of milk and blood metabolites, remains unclear. This study aimed to examine the difference in milk yield, milk composition, and metabolic status in the subsequent lactation between healthy and repeated mastitis in the previous lactation. The study population comprised 50 cows chosen from 400 cows, with 25 having no history of mastitis and 25 experiencing mastitis more than three times during the last lactation. Following dry-off and calving, all cows initiated a new lactation, during which no mastitis was diagnosed until the sample collection period. In the group exposed to repeated mastitis, a significant decrease in milk fat levels was observed in the subsequent lactation, while no change was observed in milk somatic cell count (SCC). Milk collected from cows that had experienced repeated mastitis in the previous lactation exhibited significant increases in the levels of free amino acids, namely valine, proline, and alanine. However, no difference in plasma levels of these amino acids was noted. These results indicate that individuals exposed to repeated mastitis have persistent milk quality changes even after dry-off. Biomarker analysis suggested that the milk valine and proline showed a moderate biomarker potential on Kappa coefficients to characterize cows that have experienced repeated mastitis. Furthermore, the results of biomarker combinations for valine and proline provided the highest specificity (100 %), positive likelihood ratio (infinity), and substantial biomarker potential on kappa coefficients (0.68). These findings significantly enhance our understanding of the pathobiology and etiology of recurrent mastitis and provide a biomarker to characterize cows that have experienced repeated mastitis in the past.

Impact of cobalt and proline foliar application for alleviation of salinity stress in radish

Salinity stress ranks among the most prevalent stress globally, contributing to soil deterioration. Its negative impacts on crop productivity stem from mechanisms such as osmotic stress, ion toxicity, and oxidative stress, all of which impede plant growth and yield. The effect of cobalt with proline on mitigating salinity impact in radish plants is still unclear. That’s why the current study was conducted with aim to explore the impact of different levels of Co and proline on radish cultivated in salt affected soils. There were four levels of cobalt, i.e., (0, 10, 15 and 20 mg/L) applied as CoSO4 and two levels of proline (0 and 0.25 mM), which were applied as foliar. The treatments were applied in a complete randomized design (CRD) with three replications. Results showed that 20 CoSO4 with proline showed improvement in shoot length (∼ 20%), root length (∼ 23%), plant dry weight (∼ 19%), and plant fresh weight (∼ 41%) compared to control. The significant increase in chlorophyll, physiological and biochemical attributes of radish plants compared to the control confirms the efficacy of 20 CoSO4 in conjunction with 10 mg/L proline for mitigating salinity stress. In conclusion, application of cobalt with proline can help to alleviate salinity stress in radish plants. However, multiple location experiments with various levels of cobalt and proline still needs in-depth investigations to validate the current findings.

Glycine Betaine Mitigates Heavy Metal Toxicity in Beta vulgaris (L.): An Antioxidant-Driven Approach

Plants are often exposed to non-ideal conditions during their growth. The toxicity of heavy metals as abiotic stressors is a significant concern due to their harmful effects on plants. Glycine betaine (GB) is a potent compatible solute that helps plants resist abiotic stresses and plays a crucial role in alleviating them. This study aimed to determine the effective role of glycine betaine (0.5 and 1 mM) as a foliar treatment in sugar beet plants to cope with the toxicity of cadmium (50 mg/kg soil) and lead (100 mg/kg soil). The application of lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in cultivation soil noticeably suppressed morphological growth attributes, such as chlorophylls, carotenoids, sugars, and proteins. At the same time, the aforementioned levels of heavy metals significantly increased the levels of non-enzymatic antioxidants (phenolics and proline) and enzymatic antioxidants (peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, polyphenol oxidase, and catalase) in the root and shoot tissues of sugar beet plants. In contrast, the use of glycine betaine as foliar treatment at 0.5 and 1 mM alleviated the adverse impacts of cadmium and lead by promoting the aforementioned attributes. Furthermore, the application of 1 mM GB was more effective in increasing the contents of phenolics in root by approximately 16% and 29%, phenolics in shoot by about 25% and 10%, peroxidase activity by about 82% and 116%, superoxide dismutase activity by about 56% and 47%, polyphenol oxidase activity by about 9% and 36%, catalase activity by about 19% and 25%, in cadmium- and lead-stressed plants, respectively. Additionally, it reduced the levels of proline in sugar beet tissues. Overall, the application of glycine betaine has the efficacy to counteract the adverse impacts of cadmium and lead toxicity on sugar beet plants by enhancing the metabolic indices as well as the non-enzymatic and enzymatic antioxidant activities.

Peroxidase like Zn doped Prussian blue facilitates salinity tolerance in winter wheat through seed dressing

Salt stress severely limits the growth and yield of wheat in saline-alkali soil. While nanozymes have shown promise in mitigating abiotic stress by scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS) in plants, their application in alleviating salt stress for wheat is still limited. This study synthesized a highly active nanozyme catalyst known as ZnPB (Zn-modified Prussian blue) to improve the yield and quality of wheat in saline soil. According to the Michaelis-Menten equation, ZnPB demonstrates exceptional peroxidase-like enzymatic activity, thereby mitigating oxidative damage caused by salt stress. Additionally, studies have shown that the ZnPB nanozyme is capable of regulating intracellular Na+ efflux and K+ retention in wheat, resulting in a decrease in proline and soluble protein levels while maintaining the integrity of macromolecules within the cell. Consequently, field experiments demonstrated that the ZnPB nanozyme increased winter wheat yield by 12.15 %, while also significantly enhancing its nutritional quality. This research offers a promising approach to improving the salinity tolerance of wheat, while also providing insights into its practical application.

The osmoregulatory mechanism in response to hypoosmotic stress and the key role of ABCC1 in osmoregulation in the mud crab, Scylla paramamosain

Scylla paramamosain is an important mariculture animal. In the present study, we examined the physiological and biochemical characteristics of juvenile S. paramamosain under hypoosmotic stress and further verified the function of ABCC1, a key transport protein in gill tissue. The results showed that Na+/K+-ATPase, Ca2+-ATPase, and Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransporter in gill tissues increased first and then decreased. In addition, SOD and CAT activities also began to gradually increase, protecting gill tissues from oxidative damage. The hemolymph osmolarity decreased rapidly from 792 mOsm/kg to 560 mOsm/kg within 6 h, and then rose to 626.25 mOsm/kg at 48 h, and then remained stable. At the same time, Na+, Cl-, K+, and Ca2+ concentrations were decreased to varying degrees. There were significant changes in free amino acids such as aspartic acid, glutamic acid, and asparagine in hemolymph in response to acute salt depletion. By injection of ABCC1 inhibitor/activator, it was found that while ABCC1 transporter activity in the MK-571 group showed a decreasing trend at 9 h, Na+/K+ -ATPase activity began to increase and reached a peak at 48 h. Compared with the control group, the levels of aspartic acid, glutamic acid, asparagine, glycine, arginine, alanine, lysine, and proline in the MK-571 group showed significant differences at 6 h; Significant differences in glutamate, asparagine, arginine, alanine, lysine, and proline appeared at 12 h in the Thiethylperazine group. These results suggested that the dynamic changes of gill ion transport enzymes, antioxidant enzymes, inorganic ions, and free amino acids in hemolymph occurred in S. paramamosain under hypoosmotic stress, and the ABCC1 transporter played an important role in this regulatory process.

Proline accumulation and antioxidant response are crucial for citrus tolerance to UV-B light-induced stress.

Plants face a wide range of biotic and abiotic stress conditions, which are further intensified by climate change. Among these stressors, increased irradiation in terms of intensity and wavelength range can lead to detrimental effects, such as chlorophyll degradation, destruction of the PSII reaction center, generation of ROS, alterations to plant metabolism, and even plant death. Here, we investigated the responses of two citrus genotypes, Citrus macrophylla (CM), and Troyer citrange (TC) to UV-B light-induced stress, by growing plants of both genotypes under control and UV-B stress conditions for 5 days to evaluate their tolerance mechanisms. TC seedlings had higher sensitivity to UV-B light than CM seedlings, as they showed more damage and increased levels of oxidative harm (indicated by the accumulation of MDA). In contrast, CM seedlings exhibited specific adaptive mechanisms, including accumulation of higher levels of proline under stressful conditions, and enhanced antioxidant capacity, as evidenced by increased ascorbate peroxidase activity and upregulation of the CsAPX2 gene. Phytohormone accumulation patterns were similar in both genotypes, with a decrease in ABA content in response to UV-B light. Furthermore, expression of genes involved in light perception and response was specifically affected in the tolerant CM seedlings, which exhibited higher expression of CsHYH/CsHY5 and CsRUP1-2 genes. These findings underscore the importance of the antioxidant system in citrus plants subjected to UV-B light-induced stress and suggest that CsHYH/CsHY5 and CsRUP1-2 could be considered genes associated with tolerance to such challenging conditions.

Ácido salicílico induz aclimatação ao déficit hídrico em genótipos de Phaseolus lunatus

ABSTRACT In Brazil, the lima bean is the second most economically significant legume within the genus Phaseolus. Climate change, particularly water scarcity, threatens the production of this species. The application of salicylic acid has mitigated the adverse effects of stress. This study aimed to assess the impact of salicylic acid on acclimatisation to water restriction in three genotypes of Phaseolus lunatus (‘Cara Larga’, ‘Cearense’, and ‘Orelha de Vó’). A completely randomised design with a triple factorial included three broad bean genotypes, two pre-conditionings with 1.0 mM salicylic acid and without this elicitor (0.0 mM), and three levels of water availability (75, 50, and 25%), totalling 18 treatments with eight replicates. Physiological and biochemical responses were evaluated after 60 days of treatment. The responses varied among the genotypes. ‘Cara Larga’ stood out regarding osmoregulatory and antioxidant parameters compared to the other genotypes. In contrast, ‘Cearense’ showed an increase only in carbohydrates and carotenoids concentrations, while ‘Orelha de Vó’ exhibited more efficient water use and higher levels of proline under greater water restriction, concurrently with a decline in other parameters. Overall, the ‘Cara Larga’ genotype appears to be the most responsive to the modulating effects induced by acid application, especially under a water restriction of 25%. Applying, applying salicylic acid under conditions of low water availability may be a strategy for modulating the synthesis of osmoregulatory and antioxidant responses in P. lunatus.

Humic Acid Mitigates Drought Stress in Tomato

Drought stress, one of the most important abiotic stresses, severely limits global crop production. To increase tolerance to this stress, environmentally friendly practices are emphasised. Humic acid, one of the most important natural biostimulants, has positive effects on plant growth and yield. Recently, it has also been reported to play an important role in resistance to various abiotic stresses. However, many physiological and molecular mechanisms by which humic acid confers drought resistance have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the effects of humic acid application on different morphological and physiological stress indicators and some antioxidative enzyme gene expressions of tomato seedlings under drought stress conditions were investigated in this study. It was found that drought stress decreased shoot fresh/dry weight, root fresh/dry weight, shoot and root length, chlorophyll and relative water content of plants by 67%, 56%, 31%, 38%, 22%, 20%, 15% and 25%, respectively. Humic acid application significantly increased these parameters, while reducing ion leakage, MDA and proline levels. The antioxidant enzyme gene expression of tomato seedlings under drought conditions showed no significant difference in SOD and APX gene expression, whereas CAT gene expression increased and GR gene expression decreased with humic acid application. Our results showed that humic acid application interacted with stress-related antioxidant enzyme gene expression and may be effective in reducing drought stress.

Peculiarities of biochemical and mineral composition of lettuce &lt;i&gt;Lactuca sativa&lt;/i&gt; L. grown from seeds after long-term storage in the International Space Station

Seed storage of agricultural crops in the conditions of International Space Station (ISS) is an effective method of quick plant breeding aimed to enhance the adaptability, and improve the biologically active compound accumulation and crop yield. Biochemical and mineral composition (ICP-MS) of lettuce grown in greenhouse from seeds stored for one year at the ISS was assessed. High varietal differences in lettuce tolerance to the effect of micro-gravity and radiation were evaluated using the values of yield, biometrical parameters, antioxidant status and plant mineral composition. Among the cultivars studied, i.e. Petrovich, Synthesis, Moskovsky parnikovy, Picnic, Cavalier and Bouquet, only the cvs. Retrovich, Synthesis, Moskovsky parnikovy and Picnik retained seed viability. Significant yield increase was recorded for the cv. Moskovsky parnikovy, while the cvs. Petrovich, Synthesis and Picnic demonstrated a tendency to the yield decrease. Improvement of photosynthetic pigment accumulation due to seed space storage was recorded for the cv. Moskovsky parnikovy and, particularly, the latter cultivar differed from the other cvs. due to the significantly higher proline level and lower MDA levels in leaves. Though space stress did not cause any significant decrease in antioxidant accumulation of plants, the latter demonstrated valuable changes in mineral composition. Among the 23 elements tested, V, Se. Fe and Cr showed higher concentrations compared to those in the control plants. Positive correlations between Ca, Sr, Cd, Cp, Mg, Mo and Pb were recorded (r &gt; 0.9; p &lt; 0.001).

Multi-omics analysis provides insight into the genetic basis of proline-derived milk microbiota in buffalo

Understanding the intricate relationship between genetics, metabolites, and microbiota is paramount for unraveling the complexities that define buffalo milk composition. In this study, we employed a multi-omics approach to dissect the genetic and metabolic determinants of buffalo milk traits. Metabolomics analysis of 100 buffalo milk samples revealed a rich profile of 446 metabolites, with a particular emphasis on those associated with amino acid biosynthesis. Metabolite-based Genome-Wide Association Studies (mGWAS) uncovered 13 significant genetic variants, with a pronounced focus on l-Proline. Notably, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the ATG16L1 gene implicated its role in proline production. Concurrently, an in-depth exploration of milk microbiota dynamics highlighted marked differences between buffaloes with high and low proline groups. High proline abundance correlated with increased microbial diversity, dominated by Firmicutes and Proteobacteria. Distinct genera, such as Acinetobacter and Corynebacterium, characterized low and high proline groups, respectively. Functional changes in milk microbiota, especially in amino acid biosynthesis pathways, underscored proline's pivotal role in shaping microbial functions. Correlations between milk microbiota abundance and proline levels emphasized the intricate relationship between host physiology and microbial composition. These findings not only advance our understanding of the genetic basis of metabolic traits in buffalo milk but also present potential biomarkers for targeted breeding strategies. This integrated approach provides a nuanced perspective on milk composition, offering implications for dairy quality and nutritional enhancement.