Mechanisms of Spirodela polyrhiza tolerance to FGD wastewater-induced heavy-metal stress: Lipidomics, transcriptomics, and functional validation.

Unlike terrestrial angiosperm plants, the freshwater aquatic angiosperm duckweed (Spirodela polyrhiza) grows directly in water and has distinct responses to heavy-metal stress. Plantlets accumulate metabolites, including lipids and carbohydrates, under heavy-metal stress, but how they balance metabolite levels is unclear, and the gene networks that mediate heavy-metal stress responses remain unknown. Here, we show that heavy-metal stress induced by flue gas desulfurization (FGD) wastewater reduces chlorophyll contents, inhibits growth, reduces membrane lipid biosynthesis, and stimulates membrane lipid degradation in S.

Transcriptional regulation of wound suberin deposition in potato cultivars with differential wound healing capacity.

Wounding during mechanical harvesting and post-harvest handling results in tuber desiccation and provides an entry point for pathogens resulting in substantial post​-harvest crop losses. Poor wound healing is a major culprit of these losses. Wound tissue in potato (Solanum tuberosum) tubers, and all higher plants, is composed of a large proportion of suberin that is deposited in a specialized tissue called the wound periderm.

The transcriptome of potato tuber phellogen reveals cellular functions of cork cambium and genes involved in periderm formation and maturation.

The periderm is a protective corky tissue that is formed through the cambial activity of phellogen cells, when the outer epidermis is damaged. Timely periderm formation is critical to prevent pathogen invasion and water loss. The outer layers of the potato periderm, the tuber skin, serves as a model to study cork development.

Identification of genes related to skin development in potato.

Newly identified genes that are preferentially expressed in potato skin include genes that are associated with the secondary cell wall and stress-related activities and contribute to the skin's protective function. Microarrays were used to compare the skin and tuber-flesh transcriptomes of potato, to identify genes that contribute to the unique characteristics of the skin as a protective tissue. Functional gene analysis indicated that genes involved in developmental processes such as cell division, cell differentiation, morphogenesis and secondary cell wall formation (lignification and suberization), and stress-related activities, are more highly expressed in the skin than in the tuber flesh.

Silicon fertilization of potato: expression of putative transporters and tuber skin quality.

A silicon transporter homolog was upregulated by Si fertilization and drought in potato roots and leaves. High Si in tuber skin resulted in anatomical and compositional changes suggesting delayed skin maturation. Silicon (Si) fertilization has beneficial effects on plant resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.