Salt Treatment Research Articles

Genome-Wide Identification of the Oxidative Stress 3 (OXS3) Gene Family and Analysis of Its Expression Pattern During Ovule Development and Under Abiotic Stress in Cotton

Oxidative Stress 3 (OXS3) encodes a plant-specific protein that makes great contributions to a plant’s stress tolerance. However, reports on genome-wide identification and expression pattern analyses of OXS3 were only found for Arabidopsis, wheat, and rice. The genus Gossypium (cotton) serves as an ideal model for studying allopolyploidy. Therefore, two diploid species (G. raimondii and G. arboreum) and two tetraploid species (G. hirsutum and G. barbadense) were chosen in this study for a bioinformatics analysis, resulting in 12, 12, 22, and 23 OXS3 members, respectively. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using 69 cotton OXS3 genes alongside 8 Arabidopsis, 10 rice, and 9 wheat genes, which were classified into three groups (Group 1–3). A consistent evolutionary relationship with the phylogenetic tree was observed in our structural analysis of the cotton OXS3 genes and the clustering of six conserved motifs. Gene duplication analysis across the four representative Gossypium species suggested that whole-genome duplication, segmental duplication, and tandem duplication might play significant roles in the expansion of the OXS3 gene family. Some existing elements responsive to salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and abscisic acid (ABA) were identified by cis-regulatory element analysis in the promoter regions, which could influence the expression levels of cotton OXS3 genes. Furthermore, the expression patterns of the GhOXS3 gene were examined in different tissues or organs, as well as in developing ovules and fibers, with the highest expression observed in ovules. GhOXS3 genes exhibited a more pronounced regulatory response to abiotic stresses, of which ten GhOXS3 genes showed similar expression patterns under cold, heat, salt, and drought treatments. These observations were verified by quantitative real-time PCR experiments. These findings enhance our understanding of the evolutionary relationships and expression patterns of the OXS3 gene family and provide valuable insights for the identification of vital candidate genes for trait improvement in cotton breeding.

Preinoculation with Bradyrhizobium japonicum enhances the salt tolerance of Glycine max seedlings by regulating polyamine metabolism in roots

Rhizobia are common symbiotic microorganisms in the root system of leguminous plants that can usually provide nitrogen to the host through nitrogen fixation. Studies have shown that rhizobium-preinoculated soybean plants usually exhibit improved salt tolerance, but the underlying mechanism is not fully understood. In this paper, transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed that preinoculation with rhizobia affected polyamine (PA) metabolism in soybean roots. The assay of PA contents showed that preinoculation with rhizobia significantly increased the putrescine (Put) content in roots and leaves during short-term salt treatment (0-5d). Long-term salt treatment (5-7d) resulted in a high Put content and significantly increased Spm and Spd contents, resulting in a rapid increase in the Put/(Spd+Spm) ratio (0-5d) and subsequent decrease. Moreover, rhizobium preinoculation of soybean plants resulted in increased contents of conjugated and bound PAs under salt stress. Further transcriptome sequencing, PA contents, PA synthase expression and activity analysis revealed that GmADC may be a key gene related to salt tolerance in rhizobium-preinoculated soybean plants, and the GmADC-overexpressing soybean hairy-root composite plants exhibited less ROS damage, lower Cl-/NO3- ratios and Na+/K+ ratios, and stabilized ion homeostasis. Taken together, preinoculation with rhizobia increased the expression level and enzyme activity of arginine decarboxylase (ADC) in soybean roots, increased the content of Put in roots and leaves, and increased the content of conjugated and bound PAs in soybean plants, thereby alleviating the oxidative and ionic injuries of soybean plants and enhancing the salt tolerance.

Genome-wide analyses of Ariadne family genes reveal their involvement in abiotic stress responses in apple

E3 ligases are essential for ubiquitination and play a role in regulating various aspects of eukaryotic life. Ariadne (ARI) proteins, a subfamily of RBR (RING-between-RING) proteins, have been recognized as a new class of RING-finger E3 ligases. Recent research has shed light on their potential involvement in plants’ responses to abiotic stress. However, comprehensive studies on ARI genes in apple (Malus domestica) are still lacking. This study identified ten MdARI genes in the apple genome, and examined intraspecific and interspecific collinearity to explore the evolutionary relationships of ARI family members. Phylogenetic analyses classified MdARIs into two subfamilies (A and B), and by integrating gene structure, conserved motifs, and sequence comparison results, subfamily B was further divided into two subgroups (I and II). Tissue expression analyses revealed varied expression patterns of MdARI genes in different tissues, and subcellular localization showed that MdARI1-1, MdARI1-2, and MdARI9-1 were located in the nucleus, while the other seven MdARIs were distributed throughout the cell. Analyses of promoter cis-elements and expression patterns under cold, salt, and drought treatments indicated the involvement of MdARIs in abiotic stress responses. Several proteins crucial to the plant stress response were predicted to be potential MdARIs-interacting proteins based on the protein interaction network. Additionally, the interaction between UBC11 (E2) and MdARI7-2 was confirmed by a yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) experiment, suggesting that MdARI7-2 may function as an E3. These findings will greatly benefit future research on the role and mechanisms of ARI proteins in apple stress response.

Cooking and salting impacts on sea cucumber (Holothuria atra) metabolome and their entanglements on anticoagulant potential as revealed by UPLC-QqQ-MS/MS analysis and chemometrics

Sea cucumbers increasingly consumed as a premium part of traditional diet in Middle East provide viable reservoir of chemical entities with potential significance. The current work aims to monitor metabolome patterns of Holothuria atra following salting and cooking treatments and their entanglements on anticoagulant potential using UPLC-MS/MS combined with chemometrics. A total of 64 peaks encompassing fatty acids, phospholipids, triterpene glycosides, flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoids and phytosterols were chemically profiled. Given this analysis, fatty acids and carotenoids witnessed an obvious increasing trend in fresh and cooked sea cucumber samples. Cooked and salted samples relatively augmented phenolic acids, flavonoids and triterpene glycosides. OPLS-DA underscored clear discrimination among the comparable samples highlighting lysoPC 16:0, cucumariaxanthin B, astaxanthin and arachidonic acid as focal discriminators of fresh samples while pyrogallol, ellagic acid and kaempferol-O-rhamnoside were the determining metabolites of cooked samples. Successively, the differential markers enriched in salted ones included chlorogenic acid, holothurin B and betulinic acid. Experimentally speaking, the sea cucumber samples exerted noteworthy dose and time-dependent anti-clotting potential. OPLS derived coefficient plot portrayed that chlorogenic acid, β-tocotrienol, holothurin B and betulinic acid dramatically augmented during salting treatment synergistically mediated anticoagulant efficacy. These findings pursue concept of nutritional therapy to rectify thromboembolic disorders.

The tale of two Ions Na+ and Cl−: unraveling onion plant responses to varying salt treatments

BackgroundExploring the adaptive responses of onions (Allium cepa L.) to salinity reveals a critical challenge for this salt-sensitive crop. While previous studies have concentrated on the effects of sodium (Na+), this research highlights the substantial yet less-explored impact of chloride (Cl−) accumulation. Two onion varieties were subjected to treatments with different sodium and chloride containing salts to observe early metabolic responses without causing toxicity.ResultsThe initial effects of salinity on onions showed increased concentrations of both ions, with Cl− having a more pronounced impact on metabolic profiles than Na+. Onions initially adapt to salinity by first altering their organic acid concentrations, which are critical for essential functions such as energy production and stress response. The landrace Birnförmige exhibited more effective regulation of its Na+/K+ balance and a milder response to Cl− compared to the hybrid Hytech. Metabolic alterations were analyzed using advanced techniques, revealing specific responses in leaves and bulbs to Cl− accumulation, with significant changes observed in organic acids involved in the TCA cycle, such as fumaric acid, and succinic acid, in both varieties. Additionally, there was a variety-specific increase in ethanolamine in Birnförmige and lysine in Hytech in response to Cl− accumulation.ConclusionThis comprehensive study offers new insights into onion ion regulation and stress adaptation during the initial stages of salinity exposure, emphasizing the importance of considering both Na+ and Cl− when assessing plant responses to salinity.

Lipid metabolism improves salt tolerance of Salicornia europaea.

Salicornia europaea L., a succulent euhalophyte plant, has been found to exhibit optimal reproductive capabilities under appropriate salinity concentrations. However, the underlying metabolic changes are not yet fully understood. This study conducted a comprehensive analysis combining transcriptomic and lipidomic techniques to investigate the molecular mechanisms of lipid metabolism in response to different NaCl concentrations (0 and 200mM). Transcriptomic data demonstrated that salt treatment mainly affected processes including lipid biosynthesis, phosphatidylinositol signaling, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. The expression levels of several key genes involved in salt tolerance, namely SeSOS1, SeNHX1, SeVHA-A, SeVP1, and SePSS, were found to be upregulated upon NaCl treatment. A total of 485 lipid compounds were identified, of which 27 changed in abundance under salt treatment, including the enrichment of phospholipids and sphingolipids. Moreover, the increase in the double-bond index (DBI) was mainly due to phospholipids and sphingolipids. Comparing the acyl chain length (ACL) showed that the ACL coefficient of S1P significantly decreased under 200mM NaCl. This study suggests that S. europaea adapt to saline environments through altering phospholipids and sphingolipids to improve salt tolerance. The salinity response of S. europaea can provide important insights into the action of lipids and their salt adaptation mechanisms.

Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 15 Plays an Important Role in Controlling the Tolerance to Salt, Drought and Abscisic Acid in Arabidopsis thaliana

Ubiquitin-specific proteases (UBPs), the largest subfamily of deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), are critical for plant growth and development as well as abiotic-stress responses. In this study, we discovered that the expression of the ubiquitin-specific protease 15 (UBP15) gene of the gene ubiquitin-specific protease 15 (UBP15) was induced by salt, mannitol and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. Further research revealed that UBP15 is involved in modulation of salt, drought tolerance and ABA signaling during seed germination, early seedling development, post-germination root growth or adult-plant stage. Enrichment analysis showed that many genes related to abiotic stresses and metabolic pathways were altered in the ubp15-1 mutant. Through the joint analysis of the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and differentially-expressed gene relationship network, we found that UBP15 may mainly regulate salt-stress tolerance by modulating the dwarf and delayed flowering 1 (DDF1) pathway through a cascade reaction. In the regulation of drought-stress responses, ring domain ligase1 (RGLG1) may be a direct substrate of UBP15. Moreover, we cannot exclude the possibility that UBP15 acts in a feed-forward loop mechanism in the regulation of drought-stress responses via ethylene response factor 53 (ERF53) and its ubiquitin (Ub) ligase RGLG1. In ABA signal transduction, UBP15 may play a role in at least three aspects of the ABA signaling pathway: ABA synthesis, stomatal closure regulated by ABA signaling, and transcription factors in the ABA pathway. Taken together, our results suggest that UBP15 is involved in salt, osmotic, and drought-stress tolerance and the ABA signaling pathway by directly regulating the stability of key substrates or indirectly affecting the expression of genes related to abiotic stresses in Arabidopsis thaliana. Our research provides new germplasm resources for stress-resistant crops cultivation. These results demonstrate that UBP15 is a key regulator of salt, drought and ABA tolerance in Arabidopsis.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of the OSC gene family in Platycodon grandiflorus

Platycodon grandiflorus stands as one of the most extensively utilized traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, with triterpenoids and their derivatives serving as its primary medicinal components. Oxido squalene cyclase (OSC), serving as a crucial enzyme in the triterpenoid synthesis pathway, has the capability to enzymatically generate significant quantities of sterols and triterpenoid intermediates. While the OSC gene family has been identified in numerous species, bioinformatics research on this family remains scant. Presently, the specific members of this gene family in Platycodon grandiflorus have yet to be definitively determined. In this study, we successfully identified a total of 15 PgOSC genes within the genome of Platycodon grandiflorus by conducting homology comparisons. These genes were discovered to be unevenly distributed across the five chromosomes of the species, organized in the form of gene clusters. Subsequently, we conducted a thorough analysis of the OSC gene family’s evolutionary relationship by constructing a phylogenetic tree. Other characteristics of PgOSC family members, including gene structure, conserved motifs, protein three-dimensional structure, subcellular localization, and cis-acting elements were thoroughly characterized. Furthermore, We analyzed the expression of PgOSC gene in different tissues of Platycodon grandiflorus by qRT-PCR, and found that the expression of PgOSC genes in root was higher than that in stem and leaf. Upon comparing the effects of salt, heat, and drought treatments, we observed a significant induction of PgOSC gene expression in Platycodon grandiflorus specifically under salt stress conditions. In summary, this study comprehensively identified and analyzed the OSC gene family, aiming to provide basic biological information for exploring the members of PgOSC gene family.

Mn3O4 Nanoenzyme Seed Soaking Enhanced Salt Tolerance in Soybean Through Modulating Homeostasis of Reactive Oxygen Species and ATPase Activities

Soybean, an important cash crop, is often affected by soil salinity, which is one of the important types of abiotic stress that affects its growth. Poly (acrylic) acid coated Mn3O4 (PMO) has been reported to play a vital role in defending against a variety of abiotic stresses in plants. To date, the effects of PMOs on soybean have not been reported; this study explored the mechanism of PMO-enhanced soybean germination under salt stress. In this experiment, 100 mg/L PMO was used as an immersion agent with a salt treatment of 150 mM NaCl. The results showed that when compared with the PMO treatment, salt stress significantly decreased the germination rate, fresh weight, carbohydrate content, and antioxidant enzyme activity of soybean and significantly increased the contents of reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, and osmoregulatory substances. However, PMO treatment enhanced the antioxidant defense system and significantly reduced the malondialdehyde content of soybean. Moreover, the activities of H+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase were significantly higher in treated soybean than in the control, and the content of ATP was also higher in treated soybean than in the control. Generally, PMO regulates the homeostasis of reactive oxygen species and reduces ATP consumption, thereby improving the ability of soybeans to germinate under salt stress. This study provides new insights into how nanomaterials improve plant salt tolerance.

Characterization of Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) Gene Family and Their Responses to Salinity Stress and Fruit Development in Octoploid Strawberry

Superoxide dismutases (SODs), as the first line of defense against reactive oxygen species (ROS), play an essential role in protecting plants from adverse elicitors during plant growth and development. However, little is known about the SOD gene family and their response to salinity stress and fruit development in cultivated strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa). In this study, 32 SOD genes consisting of 16 Cu/ZnSODs, 11 FeSODs, and 5 MnSOD were identified, which presented three well-resolved clades in the phylogenetic tree. Each clade had similar motifs, and exon–intron structures, which in turn supported the evolutionary classification. Cis-acting element analysis suggested that FaSOD genes might be involved in the plant response to abiotic and biotic stresses, hormones, and light. The analysis of previously published transcriptome data revealed that FaSOD genes are expressed variably under salt stress. Among these SODs, FaMSD5 was expressed at relatively high levels in strawberry root and leaf, and its transcript abundance significantly increased after salt treatment. Some transcription factors related to photomorphogenesis, hormone signaling pathways, and hyperosmotic salinity response were predicted to bind to the FaMSD5 promoter. These outcomes implied that FaMSD5 might play an important role in protection against salt stress. In addition, the comprehensive transcriptome analysis of FaSOD genes in strawberry fruit showed that almost all FaCSDs and FaMSDs were more highly expressed than FaFSDs at different developmental stages, and the expression patterns of FaCSD1, FaCSD2, FaCSD7, FaCSD8, and FaCSD10 suggested that they were likely to be involved in fruit development and ripening. This study provides a basis for further exploration of the function of the FaSOD gene family in strawberry and provides candidate FaSOD genes for enhancing salinity tolerance and regulating fruit development and ripening.

Comparative Metabolome and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal Molecular Mechanisms Involved in the Responses of Two Carex rigescens Varieties to Salt Stress

Salt stress severely inhibits crop growth and production. The native turfgrass species Carex rigescens in northern China, exhibits extraordinary tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. However, little is known about its specific metabolites and pathways under salt stress. To explore the molecular metabolic mechanisms under salt stress, we conducted metabolome analysis combined with transcriptome analysis of two varieties of Carex rigescens with differing salt tolerances: salt-sensitive Lvping NO.1 and salt-tolerant Lvping NO.2. After 5 days of salt treatment, 114 and 131 differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) were found in Lvping NO.1 and Lvping NO.2, respectively. Among them, six amino acids involved in the amino acid biosynthesis pathway, namely, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, tryptophan, threonine, and serine, were accumulated after treatment. Furthermore, most DAMs related to phenylalanine biosynthesis, metabolism, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis increased under salt stress in both varieties. The expression profiles of metabolism-associated genes were consistent with the metabolic profiles. However, genes including HCT, β-glucosidases, and F5H, and metabolite 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, of the two varieties may account for the differences in salt tolerance. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying salt tolerance in Carex rigescens and reveals potential metabolites and genes to improve crop resilience to saline environments.

Enhancing salt tolerance in rice genotypes through exogenous melatonin application by modulating growth patterns and antistress agents

Melatonin is a bioactive molecule with an important role in plants responding to various abiotic and biotic stresses. This study aims to determine the role of melatonin in rice under salt stress. This study used a factorial completely randomized design. The first factor was local rice varieties (IR64 and Silaun), and the second factor was plant treatments (control, 1 µM melatonin, 150 mM NaCl, 150 mM NaCl + 1µM melatonin). This study shows that exogenous melatonin can increase plant growth, such as plant height, root length, stem length, leaf length, leaf area, and plant biomass under salt stress compared to treatment without melatonin. Exogenous melatonin can increase the total chlorophyll content, relative water content, and proline content, reduce the total sodium content, and increase potassium absorption under conditions of salinity stress. Melatonin is also able to scavenge ROS in plants, resulted the decrease in ROS and MDA content. In terms of gene expression, OsAPX1 and cytosolic APX exhibited the highest expression in IR64 under combined salt and melatonin treatment, while GPOD, Mn-SOD, and Cu/Zn-SOD were upregulated under various conditions in both varieties. Additionally, OsLEA showed high expression in both varieties under control conditions, and CAT was significantly upregulated under salt stress. Our findings indicate that exogenous melatonin has the potential to enhance various factors under salt stress and helping in the recovery of rice plants from sodium (Na+) damage.

OsAAH confers salt tolerance in rice seedlings.

Soil salinization is becoming a great threat that reduces crop productivity worldwide. In this study, we found that rice allantoate amidohydrolase (OsAAH) expression was significantly upregulated by salt stress, and its overexpression conferred salt tolerance at the seedling stage. Compared to wild type (WT), the contents of ureides (allantoin and allantoate) were significantly increased in Osaah mutants and reduced in OsAAH overexpression lines both before and after salt treatments. Exogenous allantoin significantly promoted salt tolerance in OsAAH overexpression, but not in Osaah mutants. Subcellular localization showed that OsAAH was also localized to the peroxisomes in addition to the previously reported endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The differential expression of peroxisome-related genes was identified between Osaah mutants and WT. Furthermore, the contents of H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly accumulated in Osaah mutants and reduced in OsAAH overexpression lines. The activities of antioxidant enzymes were significantly reduced in Osaah mutants and enhanced in OsAAH overexpression under NaCl treatment. The transcription factor OsABI5 could directly bind to OsAAH promoter and activate OsAAH expression. Our findings reveal that OsAAH could be induced by salt stress through the activation of OsABI5 and then confer salt tolerance by enhancing the scavenging capacity of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which contributes to rice breeding in salt tolerance.

Genome-Wide Identification of MKK Gene Family and Response to Hormone and Abiotic Stress in Rice.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK/MPK) cascades are pivotal and highly conserved signaling modules widely distributed in eukaryotes; they play essential roles in plant growth and development, as well as biotic and abiotic stress responses. With the development of sequencing technology, the complete genome assembly of rice without gaps, T2T (Telomere-to-Telomere)-NIP (version AGIS-1.0), has recently been released. In this study, we used bioinformatic approaches to identify and analyze the rice MPK kinases (MKKs) based on the complete genome. A total of seven OsMKKs were identified, and their physical and chemical properties, chromosome localization, gene structure, subcellular localization, phylogeny, family evolution, and cis-acting elements were evaluated. OsMKKs can be divided into four subgroups based on phylogenetic relationships, and the family members located in the same evolutionary branch have relatively similar gene structures and conserved domains. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) revealed that all OsMKKs were highly expressed in rice seedling leaves. The expression levels of all OsMKKs were more or less altered under exogenous hormone and abiotic stress treatments, with OsMKK1, OsMKK6, and OsMKK3 being induced under almost all treatments, while the expression of OsMKK4 and OsMKK10-2 was repressed under salt and drought treatments and IAA treatment, respectively. In this study, we also summarized the recent progress in rice MPK cascades, highlighted their diverse functions, and outlined the potential MPK signaling network, facilitating further studies on OsMKK genes and rice MPK cascades.

The Impact of Short-Term Drought on the Photosynthetic Characteristics and Yield of Peanuts Grown in Saline Alkali Soil

Peanuts grown in saline alkali soil are also subjected to drought stress caused by water scarcity. Therefore, we used HY25 (peanut variety) as an experimental material to investigate the effects of drought on the height of peanut main stems, length of the first lateral branch, leaf area per plant, SPAD value, net photosynthetic rate, and accumulation and distribution of photosynthetic products in saline alkali soil. The results showed that the combined stress of short-term drought and salt significantly reduced the main stem height, first lateral branch length, single plant leaf area, SPAD value, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), intercellular carbon dioxide concentration (Ci), and dry matter accumulation of peanuts, including a decrease in single plant pod yield, 100-pod weight, 100-kernel weight, and peanut yield. And the impact of drought stress on peanut yield varies at different growth stages. For example, under drought stress alone, the sensitive period is the 40th day after planting (40D) > 60th day after planting (60D) > 30th day after planting (30D). Short-term drought has the greatest impact on peanut yield at 40D, while in contrast, resuming watering after drought at 30D results in a slight but not significant increase in peanut yield in comparison with the control. Under the combined stress of drought and salt, the sensitive period of peanuts was 40D > 30D > 60D, and the single pod weight of peanuts was significantly reduced by 15.26% to 57.60% from the flowering stage to the pod stage under drought treatment compared to salt treatment, indicating a significant interaction between drought and salt stress, reducing the single leaf area and net photosynthetic rate of peanut leaves, ultimately leading to a decrease in peanut yield. Therefore, when planting peanuts in saline alkali soil, drought should be avoided, especially early drought, in order to prevent the combined effects of drought and salt stress from harming peanut yield.

Extended-Release Lithium Treatment for Adolescents with Bipolar Disorder with or Without Comorbid Autism Spectrum Disorder: Protocol of a Longitudinal Prospective Naturalistic Study for the Assessment of Efficacy and Tolerability.

Background: Lithium is the gold-standard treatment for Bipolar Disorder (BD) in both adults and adolescents, effectively managing mood episodes and reducing suicide risk. While its efficacy in neurotypical youth is well established, its use in adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and comorbid BD remains under-researched. Here, we present the protocol for a study aiming to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of Extended-Release Lithium Salts in treating adolescents with BD and comorbid ASD compared to neurotypical BD patients. Methods: This longitudinal prospective naturalistic comparative study will enroll lithium-naïve adolescents aged 12-18 with BD, with or without comorbid ASD, from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychopharmacology. Participants will be followed for six months while receiving Extended-Release Lithium Salts treatment. Primary outcomes will include mood instability, suicidality, emotional dysregulation, and aggression, assessed through a range of clinical rating scales and diagnostic tools at baseline, three months, and six months. Secondary outcomes will focus on the safety and tolerability of Extended-Release Lithium Salts, with measures including side effect ratings, physical exams, and laboratory tests. Results: We hypothesize that Extended-Release Lithium Salts will demonstrate non-inferiority in treating BD symptoms in adolescents with comorbid ASD compared to those without ASD. Conclusions: This study is poised to fill a significant gap in the literature by providing critical data on the use of lithium for adolescents with BD and ASD. Findings will inform clinical practice and future research, potentially guiding more personalized treatment approaches for this complex and vulnerable population.

Wheat TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A play roles in seed germination and abiotic stress responses in transgenic Arabidopsis and rice

BackgroundSeed germination is a key process in the plant life cycle that affects the vegetative and reproductive stages of plants. Although the JAZ gene family has been characterized in many plants, the relationship between the JAZ gene and seed germination is still unclear.ResultsWe identified two members of the JAZ family from wheat, TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A. TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A were localized in both the cell membrane and nucleus. Spatio-temporal expression analysis of TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A in wheat revealed that these genes are essential for the preharvest sprouting (PHS) stage of seed development, with expression levels significantly decreasing during the ripening period. Transgenic rice plants overexpressing wheat TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A improved seed germination rates. Transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing wheat TaTIFY10A improved seed germination rates and promoted flowering. In addition, abscisic acid (ABA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were found to induce TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A expression. Under different ABA concentrations, the seed germination rates of transgenic rice and Arabidopsis overexpressing TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A are superior to wild-type (WT) and mutant plants, and the root lengths of Arabidopsis overexpressing TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A also change. Under different JA concentrations, there is no difference in the seed germination rate of rice overexpressing TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A compared to WT and mutant plants, but there is a significant difference in the seed germination rate and root length of overexpressing Arabidopsis compared to WT and mutant plants. Under different concentrations of salt and drought treatments, the seed germination rate and root length of overexpressing Arabidopsis of TaTIFY3B and TaTIFY10A are affected.ConclusionsThis study offers a novel perspective for understanding the molecular basis of pre-harvest sprouting and provides potential candidate genes for controlling wheat seed germination.

The Maize Gene ZmGLYI-8 Confers Salt and Drought Tolerance in Transgenic Arabidopsis Plants.

Methylglyoxal (MG), a highly reactive and cytotoxic α-oxoaldehyde compound, can over-accumulate under abiotic stress, consequently injuring plants or even causing death. Glyoxalase I (GLYI), the first enzyme of the glyoxalase pathway, plays multiple roles in the detoxification of MG and in abiotic stress responses. However, the GLY1 gene in maize has been little studied in response to abiotic stress. In this study, we screened a glyoxalase I gene (ZmGLYI-8) and overexpressed in Arabidopsis. This gene was localized in the cytoplasm and can be induced in maize seedlings under multiple stress treatments, including salt, drought, MG, ABA, H2O2 and high temperature stress. Phenotypic analysis revealed that after MG, salt and drought stress treatments, overexpression of ZmGLYI-8 increased the tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis to MG, salt and drought stress. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the overexpression of ZmGLYI-8 scavenges accumulated reactive oxygen species, detoxifies MG and enhances the activity of antioxidant enzymes to improve the resistance of transgenic Arabidopsis plants to salt and drought stress. In summary, this study preliminarily elucidates the molecular mechanism of the maize ZmGLYI-8 gene in transgenic Arabidopsis and provides new insight into the breeding of salt- and drought-tolerant maize varieties.

Myeloid-Specific JAK2 Contributes to Inflammation and Salt Sensitivity of Blood Pressure.

Salt sensitivity of blood pressure (SSBP), characterized by acute changes in blood pressure with changes in dietary sodium intake, is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease and mortality in people with and without hypertension. We previously found that elevated sodium concentration activates antigen-presenting cells (APCs), resulting in high blood pressure, but the mechanisms are unknown. Here, we hypothesized that APC-specific JAK2 (Janus kinase 2) through STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) and SMAD3 (small mothers against decapentaplegic homolog 3) contributes to SSBP. We performed bulk or single-cell transcriptomic analyses following in vitro monocytes exposed to high salt and in vivo high sodium treatment in humans using a rigorous salt-loading/depletion protocol to phenotype SSBP. We also used a myeloid cell-specific CD11c+ JAK2 knockout mouse model and measured blood pressure with radiotelemetry after N-omega-nitro-L-arginine-methyl ester and a high salt diet treatment. We used flow cytometry for immunophenotyping and measuring cytokine levels. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were performed to spatially visualize the kidney's immune cells and cytokine levels. Echocardiography was performed to assess cardiac function. We found that high salt treatment upregulates gene expression of the JAK/STAT/SMAD pathway while downregulating inhibitors of this pathway, such as suppression of cytokine signaling and cytokine-inducible SH2, in human monocytes. Expression of the JAK2 pathway genes mirrored changes in blood pressure after salt loading and depletion in salt-sensitive but not salt-resistant humans. Ablation of JAK2, specifically in CD11c+ APCs, attenuated salt-induced hypertension in mice with SSBP. Mechanistically, we found that SMAD3 acted downstream of JAK2 and STAT3, leading to increased production of highly reactive isolevuglandins and proinflammatory cytokine IL (interleukin)-6 in renal APCs, which activate T cells and increase production of IL-17A, IL-6, and TNF-α (tumor necrosis factor-alpha). Our findings reveal the APC JAK2 signaling pathway as a potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of SSBP in humans.

MpPUB9, a U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase, acts as a positive regulator by promoting the turnover of MpEXO70.1 under high salinity in Marchantia polymorpha.

Marchantia polymorpha, occupying a basal position in the monophyletic assemblage of land plants, displays a notable expansion of plant U-box (PUB) proteins compared with those in animals. We elucidated the roles of MpPUB9 in regulating salt stress tolerance in M. polymorpha. MpPUB9 expression was rapidly induced by high salinity and dehydration. MpPUB9 possessed an intact U-box domain in the N-terminus. MpPUB9-Citrine localized to punctate structures and was peripherally associated with microsomal membranes. Phenotypic analyses demonstrate that the hyponastic and epinastic thallus growth phenotypes, which were induced by the overexpression and suppression of MpPUB9, may provoke salt stress-resistant and -susceptible phenotypes, respectively. MpPUB9 was also found to directly interact with the exocyst protein MpEXO70.1, leading to its ubiquitination. Under high-salinity conditions, though the stability of MpPUB9 was dramatically increased, MpEXO70.1 showed slightly faster turnover rates. Transcriptome analyses showed that salt treatment and the overexpression of MpPUB9 co-upregulated the genes related to the modulation of H2O2 and cell wall organization. Overall, our results suggest that MpPUB9 plays a crucial role in the positive regulation of salt stress tolerance, resulting from its interaction with MpEXO70.1 and modulating turnover of the protein under high-salt conditions via the coordination of UPS with autophagy.