Publications by authors named "Meng-Xue Niu"
Article Synopsis
- Changes in root system architecture are crucial for plants to adapt to drought conditions, with the role of the FUSCA3 (FUS3) gene from Populus euphratica being highlighted in regulating lateral root (LR) development during drought stress.
- The study shows that the expression of PeFUS3 increases with dehydration and ABA treatments, and its overexpression leads to enhanced LR growth and drought tolerance, while its knockout results in the opposite effects.
- PeFUS3 influences auxin transport genes, enhances drought resistance through PePYL3, and interacts with another transcription factor, PeABF2, implicating it in both auxin and ABA signaling pathways for root growth under drought stress.
Abscisic acid (ABA) signaling has been implicated in plant responses to water deficit-induced osmotic stress. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unelucidated. This study identified the RING-type E3 ubiquitin ligase RING ZINC FINGER PROTEIN1 (PtrRZFP1) in poplar (Populus trichocarpa), a woody model plant.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicroRNAs are essential in plant development and stress resistance, but their specific roles in drought stress require further investigation. Here, we have uncovered that a Populus-specific microRNAs (miRNA), miR6445, targeting NAC (NAM, ATAF, and CUC) family genes, is involved in regulating drought tolerance of poplar. The expression level of miR6445 was significantly upregulated under drought stress; concomitantly, seven targeted NAC genes showed significant downregulation.
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- Drought stress severely affects plant growth, and this study explores how β-aminobutyric acid (BABA) influences drought resistance in poplar through the Aspartate tRNA-synthetase (AspRS) gene family, particularly the PtrIBI receptors.
- Researchers identified 12 PtrIBI genes, noting that poplar's genetic evolution included four pairs that arose from whole genome duplication.
- Treatment with 50 mM BABA showed promise in reducing drought stress damage, leading to the hypothesis that poplar employs a coordinated ABA signaling pathway involving BABA and PtrIBIs to combat drought stress.
Article Synopsis
- - F-box proteins are key players in SCF E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes that regulate protein degradation, crucial for plant growth, development, and stress responses.
- - A study identified 337 F-box genes in poplar, revealing that 74 belong to the F-box associated family, with evidence of gene replication and evolution through genome-wide and tandem duplication.
- - The analyzed F-box genes are primarily expressed in certain tissues and are involved in drought stress responses, with one specific gene demonstrating significant function in coping with drought.
Article Synopsis
- Chlorophyll is essential for plant photosynthesis, and the gene involved in its biosynthesis, geranylgeraniol reductase, has not been extensively studied in relation to plant growth and photosynthesis.
- The research identified three specific genes, analyzed their evolutionary relationships, and found that one gene plays a key role in chlorophyll production, especially in leaves.
- Silencing this gene in poplar reduced chlorophyll synthesis and negatively impacted plant growth, highlighting the importance of these genes in enhancing tree breeding for rapid growth traits.
Article Synopsis
- Cadmium is harmful to human health and the environment, and the cation/H exchanger (CAX) family helps plants manage cadmium uptake and response.
- A study identified seven CAX genes in the Populus trichocarpa genome that are related to stress response, particularly under cadmium stress, drought, and other environmental challenges.
- The research suggests that understanding the CAX family can aid in developing strategies for using Populus in cleaning up heavy metal pollution.
Gibberellic acid-stimulated (GASA) proteins, as cysteine-rich peptides (CRPs), play roles in development and reproduction and biotic and abiotic stresses. Although the gene family has been identified in plants, the knowledge about GASAs in , the woody model plant for studying abiotic stress, remains limited. Here, we referenced the well-sequenced genome, and identified the GASAs in the whole genome of and .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPhytoremediation technology can help achieve moderate cost and considerable effect with respect to the remediation of heavy metal (HM) pollution in soil and water. Many previous studies have suggested the role of nitrogen (N) in the alleviation of effects of HM on plants. Herein, we sought to determine the molecular mechanisms by which additional N supplementation mitigates cadmium (Cd) toxicity in poplars using a combination of physiological, transcriptomic and phosphoproteomic analyses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFZINC FINGER OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA12 (ZAT12) plays an important role in stress responses, but the transcriptional regulation of ZAT12 in response to abiotic stress remains unclear. In this study, we confirmed that a SALT TOLERANCE ZINC FINGER1 transcription factor from Populus euphratica (PeSTZ1) could regulate the expression of PeZAT12 by dual-luciferase reporter (DLR) assay and electrophoretic mobility shift assay. The expression of PeSTZ1 was rapidly induced by NaCl and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) treatments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn the present study, PeSTZ1, a cysteine-2/histidine-2-type zinc finger transcription factor, was isolated from the desert poplar, Populus euphratica, which serves as a model stress adaptation system for trees. PeSTZ1 was preferentially expressed in the young stems and was significantly up-regulated during chilling and freezing treatments. PeSTZ1 was localized to the nucleus and bound specifically to the PeAPX2 promoter.
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