An overview of pigment gland morphogenesis and its regulatory mechanism

Cotton has enormous economic potential,providing high-quality protein,oil,and fibre.But the comprehensive utilization of cottonseed is limited by the presence of pigment gland and its inclusion.Pigment gland is a common characteristic of Gossypium genus and its relatives,appearing as visible dark opaque dots in most tissues and organs of cotton plants.Secondary metabolites,such as gossypol,synthesized and stored in the cavities of pigment glands act as natural phytoalexins,but are toxic to humans and other monogastric animals.However,only a few cotton genes have been identified as being associated with pigment gland morphogenesis to date,and the developmental processes and regulatory mechanism involved in pigment gland formation remain largely unclear.Here,the research progress on the process of pigment gland morphogenesis and the genetic basis of cotton pigment glands is reviewed,for providing a theoretical basis for cultivating cotton with the ideal pigment gland trait.

Limonene’s Bacteriostatic Activity against Ralstonia solanacearum by Compromised Membrane Integrity: A Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analysis

Ralstonia solanacearum, the causative agent of bacterial wilt, is a soil-borne pathogen that poses a widespread threat to plants in the Solanaceae family. To elucidate the mechanism by which limonene exerts its effects on R. solanacearum, we first assessed the impact of limonene on the physiological indicators of the pathogen and subsequently analyzed its transcriptome and metabolome. Our findings indicate that limonene has a potent inhibitory effect on R. solanacearum, and it also suppresses the formation of the bacterial community biofilm. Limonene primarily regulates the terpene biosynthesis pathway in R. solanacearum, thereby potentially affecting signal transduction in the pathogen and disrupting its normal growth and development. These results significantly enhance our understanding of limonene’s response to the induction of bacterial wilt and provide a reference for further prevention and control of R. solanacearum.

Bioinformatics Analysis of IPIs in Five Northern Medicinal Plants

This study analyzed and predicted following aspects of isopentenyl py- rophosphate isomerases （IPIs） of five north medicinal plants using bioinformatics methods and tools： physical and chemical properties, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, trans-membrane domain, secondary structure, subcellular localization and so on. The results showed that： there was no notable difference among the physical and chem- ical properties of IPIs of the five north medicinal plants; the IPIs were mainly hy- drophilic; the IPIs were mainly located in chloroplasts by subcellular localization; serine phosphorylation sites were the most; the secondary structures mainly consist- ed of c^-helixes and random coils; no signal peptide existed, indicating that the pro- tein IPI was non-secreted protein; no trans-membrane domain existed; and one functional domain was shown, Le., Nudix Hydrolase Superfamily. This study is of great significance to research on IPI gene functions, deep research on north medic- inal plants, improvement of efficacy of north medicinal plants and rational develop- ment and utilization of medicinal plant resources.

Engineered geranyl diphosphate methyltransferase produces 2-methyl-dimethylallyl diphosphate as a noncanonical C_(6) unit for terpenoid biosynthesis

Terpenoids constitute the largest class of natural products with complex structures,essential functions,and versatile applications.Creation of new building blocks beyond the conventional five-carbon(C_(5))units,dimethylallyl diphosphate(DMAPP)and isopentenyl diphosphate,expands significantly the chemical space of terpenoids.Structure-guided engineering of an S-adenosylmethionine-dependent geranyl diphosphate(GPP)C2-methyltransferase from Streptomyces coelicolor yielded variants converting DMAPP to a new C_(6) unit,2-methyl-DMAPP.Mutation of the Gly residue at the position 202 resulted in a smaller substrate-binding pocket to fit DMAPP instead of its native substrate GPP.Replacement of Phe residue at the position 222 with a Tyr residue contributed to DMAPP binding via hydrogen bond.Furthermore,using Escherichia coli as the chassis,we demonstrated that 2-methyl-DMAPP was accepted as a start unit to generate noncanonical trans-and cis-prenyl diphosphates(C_(5n+1))and terpenoids.This work provides insights into substrate recognition of prenyl diphosphate methyltransferases,and strategies to diversify terpenoids by expanding the building block portfolio.

Terpenoid Biosynthesis and Specialized Vascular Cells of Conifer Defense

Defense-related terpenoid biosynthesis in conifers is a dynamic process closely associated with specialized anatomical structures that allows conifers to cope with attack from many potential pests and pathogens. The constitutive and inducible terpenoid defense of conifers involves several hundred different monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and diterpenes. Changing arrays of these many compounds are formed from the general isoprenoid pathway by activities of large gene families for two classes of enzymes, the terpene synthases and the cytochrome P450-dependent monooxygenases of the CYP720B group. Extensive studies have been conducted on the genomics, proteomics and molecular biochemical characterization of these enzymes. Many of the conifer terpene synthases are multi-product enzymes, and the P450 enzymes of the CYP720B group are promiscuous in catalyzing multiple oxidations, along homologous series of diterpenoids, from a broad spectrum of substrates. The terpene synthases and CYP720B genes respond to authentic or simulated insect attack with increased transcript levels, protein abundance and enzyme activity. The constitutive and induced oleoresin terpenoids for conifer defense accumulate in preformed cortical resin ducts and in xylem trauma-associated resin ducts. Formation of these resin ducts de novo in the cambium zone and developing xylem, following insect attack or treatment of trees with methyl jasmonate, is a unique feature of the induced defense of long-lived conifer trees.