Late embryogenesis abundant protein (LEA) genes are widely conserved in seed plant species and form a multigene family. While some LEAs are known to respond to environmental stresses, the function of many LEAs is unknown. OsLEA5 (Lea14A) interacts with a regulator of the endosperm storage production, FLO2, suggesting that OsLEA5 may be involved in endosperm quality control. RNAi knockdown line of showed decreased seed weight. Transformant lines overexpressing exhibited improved quality and seed weight of mature seeds when they were developed under high-temperature conditions, while seed quality strongly declined in wild-type plants exposed to high-temperature stress. These findings indicate that contributes to suppressing the deterioration of seed quality when developed under high-temperature conditions.© 2021 Japanese Society for Plant Biotechnology.

The resurrection plant Ramonda serbica Panc. survives long desiccation periods and fully recovers metabolic functions within one day upon watering. This study aimed to identify key candidates and pathways involved in desiccation tolerance in R. serbica. We combined differential transcriptomics and proteomics, phenolic and sugar analysis, FTIR analysis of the cell wall polymers, and detailed analysis of the photosynthetic electron transport (PET) chain. The proteomic analysis allowed the relative quantification of 1192 different protein groups, of which 408 were differentially abundant between hydrated (HL) and desiccated leaves (DL). Almost all differentially abundant proteins related to photosynthetic processes were less abundant, while chlorophyll fluorescence measurements implied shifting from linear PET to cyclic electron transport (CET). The levels of H2O2 scavenging enzymes, ascorbate-glutathione cycle components, catalases, peroxiredoxins, Fe-, and Mn superoxide dismutase (SOD) were reduced in DL. However, six germin-like proteins (GLPs), four Cu/ZnSOD isoforms, three polyphenol oxidases, and 22 late embryogenesis abundant proteins (LEAPs; mainly LEA4 and dehydrins), were desiccation-inducible. Desiccation provoked cell wall remodeling related to GLP-derived H2O2/HO● activity and pectin demethylesterification. This comprehensive study contributes to understanding the role and regulation of the main metabolic pathways during desiccation aiming at crop drought tolerance improvement.

Changes in messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) populations during embryogenesis of cottonseed have been followed by cataloging (a) extant proteins, (b) proteins synthesized in vivo, and (c) proteins synthesized in vitro from extracted RNA, all at specific stages of embryogenesis. Evidence is presented for the existence of five mRNA subsets, all apparently under different regulatory regimes, that produce the abundant proteins of embryogenesis. One of these functions principally during the cell division phase of embryogenesis and encodes among its products the seed storage proteins whose mRNA is superabundant during this period. This subset has disappeared from the abundant group by the mature seed stage. Two other subsets appear in late embryogenesis, one of which may result from the removal of the embryo from the maternal environment, since it is inducible by excision of the young embryo from the seed. The other appears to be induced by the plant growth regulator abscisic acid, whose endogenous concentration increases at this stage. It can be induced by incubating excised young embryos in abscisic acid. The last two subsets exist throughout embryogenesis, but only one of them appears to function in germination.

\n Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are a group of highly hydrophilic glycine-rich proteins, which accumulate in the late stage of seed maturation and are associated with many abiotic stresses. However, few peanut\n LEA\n genes had been reported, and the research on the number, location, structure, molecular phylogeny and expression of\n AhLEA\n s was very limited.\n

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are widely distributed in higher plants and play crucial roles in regulating plant growth and development processes and resisting abiotic stress. Cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) is an important vegetable crop worldwide; however, its growth, development, yield, and quality are currently severely constrained by abiotic stressors. In contrast, wild tomato species are more tolerant to abiotic stress and can grow normally in extreme environments. The main objective of this study was to identify, characterize, and perform gene expression analysis of LEA protein families from cultivated and wild tomato species to mine candidate genes and determine their potential role in abiotic stress tolerance in tomatoes.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins are produced during seed embryogenesis and in vegetative tissue in response to various abiotic stressors. A correlation has been established between LEA expression and stress tolerance, yet their precise biochemical mechanism remains elusive. LEA proteins are very rich in hydrophilic amino acids, and they have been found to be intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) in vitro. Here, we perform biochemical and structural analyses of the four LEA3 proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtLEA3). We show that the LEA3 proteins are disordered in solution but have regions with propensity for order. All LEA3 proteins were effective cryoprotectants of LDH in the freeze/thaw assays, while only one member, AtLEA3-4, was shown to bind Cu and Fe ions with micromolar affinity. As well, only AtLEA3-4 showed binding and a gain in α-helicity in the presence of the membrane mimic dodecylphosphocholine (DPC). We explored this interaction in greater detail using N-heteronuclear single quantum coherence (HSQC) nuclear magnetic resonance, and demonstrate that two sets of conserved motifs present in AtLEA3-4 are involved in the interaction with the DPC micelles, which themselves gain α-helical structure.© 2021 The Protein Society.

Climate change-induced abiotic stress results in crop yield and production losses. These stresses result in changes at the physiological and molecular level that affect the development and growth of the plant. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is formed at high levels due to abiotic stress within different organelles, leading to cellular damage. Plants have evolved mechanisms to control the production and scavenging of ROS through enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidative processes. However, ROS has a dual function in abiotic stresses where, at high levels, they are toxic to cells while the same molecule can function as a signal transducer that activates a local and systemic plant defense response against stress. The effects, perception, signaling, and activation of ROS and their antioxidative responses are elaborated in this review. This review aims to provide a purview of processes involved in ROS homeostasis in plants and to identify genes that are triggered in response to abiotic-induced oxidative stress. This review articulates the importance of these genes and pathways in understanding the mechanism of resistance in plants and the importance of this information in breeding and genetically developing crops for resistance against abiotic stress in plants.

The Late Embryogenesis-Abundant (LEA) gene families, which play significant roles in regulation of tolerance to abiotic stresses, widely exist in higher plants. Poplar is a tree species that has important ecological and economic values. But systematic studies on the gene family have not been reported yet in poplar.

\n Chenopodium quinoa (quinoa) is a highly nutritious grain identified as an important crop to improve world food security. Unfortunately, few resources are available to facilitate its genetic improvement. Here we report the assembly of a high-quality, chromosome-scale reference genome sequence for quinoa, which was produced using single-molecule real-time sequencing in combination with optical, chromosome-contact and genetic maps. We also report the sequencing of two diploids from the ancestral gene pools of quinoa, which enables the identification of sub-genomes in quinoa, and reduced-coverage genome sequences for 22 other samples of the allotetraploid goosefoot complex. The genome sequence facilitated the identification of the transcription factor likely to control the production of anti-nutritional triterpenoid saponins found in quinoa seeds, including a mutation that appears to cause alternative splicing and a premature stop codon in sweet quinoa strains. These genomic resources are an important first step towards the genetic improvement of quinoa.

Quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) is valued for its nutritional richness. However, pre-harvest sprouting poses a significant threat to yield and grain quality. This study aims to enhance our understanding of pre-harvest sprouting mitigation strategies, specifically through delayed sowing and avoiding rainy seasons during quinoa maturation. The overarching goal is to identify cold-resistant varieties and unravel the molecular mechanisms behind the low-temperature response of quinoa. We employed bioinformatics and genomics tools for a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of polyamines (PAs) and ethylene synthesis gene families in quinoa under low-temperature stress.

Late embryogenesis-abundant (LEA) proteins are a large and highly diverse family believed to function in normal plant growth and development, and in protecting cells from abiotic stress. This study presents a characterisation of 74 Solanum tuberosum LEA (StLEA) proteins belonging to nine groups. StLEA genes have few introns (≤2) and are distributed on all chromosomes, occurring as gene clusters on chromosomes 1, 2, and 10. All four StASR (StLEA7 group) genes were concentrated on chromosome 4, suggesting their evolutionary conservation on one chromosome. Expression profiles of StLEA genes, in different tissues and in response to hormone and stress treatments, indicated that 71 StLEA genes had differential expression levels, of which 68 StLEA genes were differentially expressed in response to hormones and stress exposure in the potato. Continuous high expression of StASR-2, StLEA3-3, StDHN-3, StLEA2-29, and StLEA2-14 in different tissues indicated their contribution to plant development processes. StLEA2-14, StLEA2-31, StLEA3-3, StASR-1, and StDHN-1 were upregulated by six abiotic stresses, showing their tolerance to a wide spectrum of environmental stresses. Expression analysis of 17 selected StLEA genes in response to drought, salt, heavy metal, heat, and cold treatments by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction indicated that StLEA proteins may be involved in distinct signalling pathways. Taken together, StLEA3, StDHN, and StASR subgroup genes may be excellent resources for potato defence against environmental stresses. These results provide valuable information and robust candidate genes for future functional analysis aimed at improving the stress tolerance of the potato.

Cells and organisms typically cannot survive in the absence of water. However, some animals including nematodes, tardigrades, rotifers, and some arthropods are able to survive near-complete desiccation. One class of proteins known to play a role in desiccation tolerance is the late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins. These largely disordered proteins protect plants and animals from desiccation. A multitude of studies have characterized stress-protective capabilities of LEA proteins in vitro and in heterologous systems. However, the extent to which LEA proteins exhibit such functions in vivo, in their native contexts in animals, is unclear. Furthermore, little is known about the distribution of LEA proteins in multicellular organisms or tissue-specific requirements in conferring stress protection. Here, we used the nematode C. elegans as a model to study the endogenous function of an LEA protein in an animal.We created a null mutant of C. elegans LEA-1, as well as endogenous fluorescent reporters of the protein. LEA-1 mutant animals formed defective dauer larvae at high temperature. We confirmed that C. elegans lacking LEA-1 are sensitive to desiccation. LEA-1 mutants were also sensitive to heat and osmotic stress and were prone to protein aggregation. During desiccation, LEA-1 expression increased and became more widespread throughout the body. LEA-1 was required at high levels in body wall muscle for animals to survive desiccation and osmotic stress, but expression in body wall muscle alone was not sufficient for stress resistance, indicating a likely requirement in multiple tissues. We identified minimal motifs within C. elegans LEA-1 that were sufficient to increase desiccation survival of E. coli. To test whether such motifs are central to LEA-1's in vivo functions, we then replaced the sequence of lea-1 with these minimal motifs and found that C. elegans dauer larvae formed normally and survived osmotic stress and mild desiccation at the same levels as worms with the full-length protein.Our results provide insights into the endogenous functions and expression dynamics of an LEA protein in a multicellular animal. The results show that LEA-1 buffers animals from a broad range of stresses. Our identification of LEA motifs that can function in both bacteria and in a multicellular organism in vivo suggests the possibility of engineering LEA-1-derived peptides for optimized desiccation protection.© 2021. The Author(s).

Glycine-rich RNA-binding proteins (GRPs) contain RNA recognition motif (RRM) and glycine-rich domains at the N- or C-terminus, respectively, and they participate in varied physiological and biochemical processes, as well as environmental stresses. Sweet potato from the genus Ipomoea is one of the most important crops. However, the role of the GRP gene family in Ipomoea plant species has not been reported yet. At the same time, the genome of sweet potato remains to be elucidated, but the genome of I. trifida which is most probably the progenitor of the sweet potato was released recently. In this regard, we carried out genome-wide analysis of GRP family members in I. trifida. Here, we identified nine GRP genes in I. trifida and investigated their motif distribution, promoters and gene structure. Subsequently, we performed phylogenetic analysis with the GRP genes from I. trifida, Arabidopsis thaliana, Zea mays L. and Oryza sativa to investigate their phylogenetic relationship. Moreover, we studied the expression patterns of ItGRPs in the roots, stems, young and mature leaves and flowers and found that ItGRP genes were tissue-specific. Meanwhile, the expression profiles under four abiotic stress conditions, including heat, cold, salt and drought stress treatments, revealed that some genes were markedly up-regulated or down-regulated. Taken together, our findings will provide reference to studies on the function of GRP genes in the development and stress response of I. trifida.Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

\n Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA) proteins are extensively distributed among higher plants and are crucial for regulating growth, development, and abiotic stress resistance. However, comprehensive data regarding the\n LEA\n gene family in\n Ipomoea\n species remains limited. In this study, we conducted a genome-wide comparative analysis across seven\n Ipomoea\n species, including sweet potato (\n I. batatas\n ),\n I. trifida\n,\n I. triloba\n,\n I. nil\n,\n I. purpurea\n,\n I. cairica\n, and\n I. aquatica\n, identifying 73, 64, 77, 62, 70, 70, and 74\n LEA\n genes, respectively. The\n LEA\n genes were divided into eight subgroups: LEA_1, LEA_2, LEA_3, LEA_4, LEA_5, LEA_6, SMP, and Dehydrin according to the classification of the\n LEA\n family in Arabidopsis. Gene structure and protein motif analyses revealed that genes within the same phylogenetic group exhibited comparable exon/intron structures and motif patterns. The distribution of\n LEA\n genes across chromosomes varied among the different\n Ipomoea\n species. Duplication analysis indicated that segmental and tandem duplications significantly contributed to the expansion of the\n LEA\n gene family, with segmental duplications being the predominant mechanism. The analysis of the non-synonymous (Ka) to synonymous (Ks) ratio (Ka/Ks) indicated that the duplicated\n Ipomoea LEA\n genes predominantly underwent purifying selection. Extensive cis-regulatory elements associated with stress responses were identified in the promoters of\n LEA\n genes. Expression analysis revealed that the\n LEA\n gene exhibited widespread expression across diverse tissues and showed responsive modulation to various abiotic stressors. Furthermore, we selected 15\n LEA\n genes from sweet potatoes for RT-qPCR analysis, demonstrating that five genes responded to salt stress in roots, while three genes were responsive to drought stress in leaves. Additionally, expression changes of seven genes varied at different stages of sweet potato tuber development. These findings enhanced our understanding of the evolutionary dynamics of\n LEA\n genes within the\n Ipomoea\n genome and may inform future molecular breeding strategies for sweet potatoes.\n

\n Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins play an important role in dehydration process of seed maturation. The seeds of\n Panax notoginseng\n (Burkill) F. H. Chen are typically characterized with the recalcitrance and are highly sensitive to dehydration. However, it is not very well known about the role of LEA proteins in response to dehydration stress in\n P. notoginseng\n seeds. We will perform a genome-wide analysis of the LEA gene family and their transcriptional responses to dehydration stress in recalcitrant\n P. notoginseng\n seeds.\n

Late embryonic development abundant proteins (LEAs) are a large family of proteins commonly existing in plants. LEA_2 is the largest subfamily in the LEA, it plays an important role in plant resistance to abiotic stress. In order to explore the characteristics of LEA_2 gene family members in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), 155 members of LEA_2 (MsLEA_2) family were identified from alfalfa genome. Bioinformatics analysis was conducted from the aspects of phylogenetic relationship, chromosome distribution, chromosome colinearity, physical and chemical properties, motif composition, exon-intron structure, cis-element and so on. Expression profiles of MsLEA_2 gene were obtained based on Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis and previous RNA-seq data under aluminum (Al) stress. Bioinformatics results were shown that the MsLEA_2 genes are distributed on all 32 chromosomes. Among them, 85 genes were present in the gene clusters, accounting for 54.83%, and chromosome Chr7.3 carries the largest number of MsLEA_2 (19 LEA_2 genes on Chr7.3). Chr7.3 has a unique structure of MsLEA_2 distribution, which reveals a possible special role of Chr7.3 in ensuring the function of MsLEA_2. Transcriptional structure analysis revealed that the number of exons in each gene varies from 1 to 3, and introns varies from 0 to 2. Cis-element analysis identified that the promoter region of MsLEA_2 is rich in ABRE, MBS, LTR, and MeJARE, indicating MsLEA_2 has stress resistance potential under abiotic stress. RNA-seq data and qRT-PCR analyses showed that most of the MsLEA_2 members were up-regulated when alfalfa exposed to Al stress. This study revealed that phylogenetic relationship and possible function of LEA_ 2 gene in alfalfa, which were helpful for the functional analysis of LEA_ 2 proteins in the future and provided a new theoretical basis for improving Al tolerance of alfalfa.