Functional insights into 4-coumarate-CoA ligase and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase genes involved in lignin biosynthesis in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata).

Lignin biosynthesis is vital for plant growth and development. In model plants, 4-coumarate: coenzyme A ligase (4CL) and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase (COMT) are key regulators of lignin content and composition. However, their functions in gymnosperms, especially conifers, remain largely unexplored.

Time-course transcriptome and proteomic dynamics during the de novo shoot organogenesis in Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata).

De novo shoot organogenesis (DNSO) enables plants to regenerate shoots from various explants, offering valuable opportunities for research and plant biotechnology applications. While significant progress has been made in understanding regeneration in angiosperms, the regulatory mechanisms in gymnosperms, particularly Chinese fir (Cunninghamia lanceolata), remain poorly understood, despite its importance as a key timber species in China. This study successfully established an efficient DNSO protocol for Chinese fir, identifying six distinct stages in the process through cellular-level analysis.

Uncovering the miRNA-mediated regulatory network involved in Ma bamboo () shoot organogenesis.

Bamboo is an important non-timber forest product and is well-known for its reluctance to regenerate. Recently we have established a shoot organogenesis (DNSO) protocol in Ma bamboo () and revealed the transcriptomic dynamics during Ma bamboo regeneration, which suggested the potential roles of Ma bamboo microRNAs (DlamiRNAs) in this process. However, how DlamiRNAs regulate bamboo DNSO is poorly understood.

Auxin response factors fine-tune lignin biosynthesis in response to mechanical bending in bamboo.

Lignin contributes to plant mechanical properties during bending loads. Meanwhile, phytohormone auxin controls various plant biological processes. However, the mechanism of auxin's role in bending-induced lignin biosynthesis was unclear, especially in bamboo, celebrated for its excellent deformation stability.

Comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the DREB gene family in Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis): evidence for the role of PeDREB28 in plant abiotic stress response.

Dehydration response element binding (DREB) proteins are vital for plant abiotic stress responses, but the understanding of DREBs in bamboo, an important sustainable non-timber forest product, is limited. Here we conducted a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the DREB gene family in Moso bamboo, representing the most important running bamboo species in Asia. In total, 44 PeDREBs were identified, and information on their gene structures, protein motifs, phylogenetic relationships, and stress-related cis-regulatory elements (CREs) was provided.

Production of purple Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) with enhanced drought and cold stress tolerance by engineering anthocyanin biosynthesis.

Overexpression of the leaf color (Lc) gene in Ma bamboo substantially increased the accumulation level of anthocyanin, and improved plant tolerance to cold and drought stresses, probably due to the increased antioxidant capacity. Most bamboos, including Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro), are naturally evergreen and sensitive to cold and drought stresses, while it's nearly impossible to make improvements through conventual breeding due to their long and irregular flowering habit. Moreover, few studies have reported bamboo germplasm innovation through genetic engineering as bamboo genetic transformation remains difficult.

The transcriptional dynamics during de novo shoot organogenesis of Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro): implication of the contributions of the abiotic stress response in this process.

De novo shoot organogenesis is an important biotechnological tool for fundamental studies in plant. However, it is difficult in most bamboo species, and the genetic control of this highly dynamic and complicated regeneration process remains unclear. In this study, based on an in-depth analysis at the cellular level, the shoot organogenesis from calli of Ma bamboo (Dendrocalamus latiflorus Munro) was divided into five stages.

Overexpression of a Novel Arabidopsis Gene Leads to Various Morphological and Abiotic Stress Tolerance Alternations in Arabidopsis and Poplar.

With the development of sequencing technology, the availability of genome data is rapidly increasing, while functional annotation of genes largely lags behind. In Arabidopsis, the functions of nearly half of the proteins are unknown and this remains one of the main challenges in current biological research. In an attempt to identify novel and rapid abiotic stress responsive genes, a number of salt-up () regulated genes were isolated by analyzing the public transcriptomic data, and one of them, , was characterized in this study.

An Efficient Plant Regeneration and Transformation System of Ma Bamboo ( Munro) Started from Young Shoot as Explant.

Genetic engineering technology has been successfully used in many plant species, but is limited in woody plants, especially in bamboos. Ma bamboo ( Munro) is one of the most important bamboo species in Asia, and its genetic improvement was largely restricted by the lack of an efficient regeneration and transformation method. Here we reported a plantlet regeneration and -mediated transformation protocol by using Ma bamboo young shoots as explants.