Background: Xyloglucan endotransglycosylase/hydrolases (XTH) can disrupt and reconnect the xyloglucan chains, modify the cellulose-xyloglucan complex structure in the cell wall to reconstruct the cell wall. Previous studies have reported that XTH plays a key role in the aluminum (Al) tolerance of tea plants (Camellia sinensis), which is a typical plant that accumulates Al and fluoride (F), but its role in F resistance has not been reported. Results: Here, 14 CsXTH genes were identified from C. sinensis and named as CsXTH1–14. The phylogenetic analysis revealed that CsXTH members were divided into 3 subclasses, and conserved motif analysis showed that all these members included catalytic active region. Furthermore, the expressions of all CsXTH genes showed tissue-specific and were regulated by Al³⁺ and F⁻ treatments. CsXTH1, CsXTH4, CsXTH6–8 and CsXTH11–14 were up-regulated under Al³⁺ treatments; CsXTH1–10 and CsXTH12–14 responded to different concentrations of F⁻ treatments. The content of xyloglucan oligosaccharide determined by immunofluorescence labeling increased to the highest level at low concentrations of Al³⁺ or F⁻ treatments (0.4 mM Al³⁺ or 8 mg/L F⁻), accompanying by the activity of XET (Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase) peaked. Conclusion: In conclusion, CsXTH activities were regulated by Al or F via controlling the expressions of CsXTH genes and the content of xyloglucan oligosaccharide in C. sinensis roots was affected by Al or F, which might finally influence the elongation of roots and the growth of plants.

Background: Tea plant (Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze) is an important economic tea crop, but flowering will consume a lot of nutrients of C. sinensis, which will seriously affect the nutritional growth of C. sinensis. However, there are few studies on the development mechanism of C. sinensis flower, and most studies focus on a single C. sinensis cultivar. Results: Here, we identified a 92-genes’ C. sinensis flower development core transcriptome from the transcriptome of three C. sinensis cultivars ('BaiYe1', 'HuangJinYa' and 'SuChaZao') in three developmental stages (bud stage, white bud stage and blooming stage). In addition, we also reveal the changes in endogenous hormone contents and the expression of genes related to synthesis and signal transduction during the development of C. sinensis flower. The results showed that most genes of the core transcriptome were involved in circadian rhythm and autonomous pathways. Moreover, there were only a few flowering time integrators, only 1 HD3A, 1 SOC1 and 1 LFY, and SOC1 played a dominant role in the development of C. sinensis flower. Furthermore, we screened out 217 differentially expressed genes related to plant hormone synthesis and 199 differentially expressed genes related to plant hormone signal transduction in C. sinensis flower development stage. Conclusions: By constructing a complex hormone regulation network of C. sinensis flowering, we speculate that MYC, FT, SOC1 and LFY play key roles in the process of endogenous hormones regulating C. sinensis flowering development. The results of this study can a provide reference for the further study of C. sinensis flowering mechanism.

Biochar was widely developed for the soil amendment and remediation of heavy metal contaminated soil. The Cd hyperaccumulator, Solanum nigrum L., has been paid much more attention with the wide application of phytoremediation. The effects of biochar on the growth and accumulation capacity of Solanum nigrum L. in Cd contaminated soil have not been explored so far. The objectives of this study were to explore the dual effects of biochar addition on available Cd in the soil and hyperaccumulation of Cd in Solanum nigrum L. under different Cd contaminated levels. The correlations of soil physicochemical and biochemical properties and Cd absorption of Solanum nigrum L. were analyzed after a 60-day pot experiment under three biochar doses (0%, 1% and 5%) and four Cd concentrations (0, 25, 50 and 100 mg kg⁻¹). The availability of Cd obtained by DTPA extraction significantly decreased after biochar application (P = 0.003, P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001 under 1% biochar addition for 25, 50, and 100 mg kg⁻¹ Cd concentrations, P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001, P = 0.0001 under 5% biochar addition for 25, 50, and 100 mg kg⁻¹ Cd concentrations, n ≥ 3). The 1% biochar dose significantly increased leaf dry weight (P = 0.039, P = 0.002 for the Cd concentrations of 50 and 100 mg kg⁻¹, n ≥ 3) compared with the control in higher Cd concentrations (50 and 100 100 mg kg⁻¹). In the presence of biochar, the bioconcentration factor (BCF) increased under the Cd concentrations of 50 and 100 mg kg⁻¹. The translocation factors (TF) decreased with the biochar doses under the Cd concentration of 100 mg kg⁻¹. The dose of 5% biochar significantly increased the urease activity by 41.18% compared to the 1% biochar addition in the Cd contaminated soil of 50 mg kg⁻¹ concentration. The activities of acid phosphatase were inhibited by 1% biochar dose in all the Cd contaminated soils. The dry weight of the root of Solanum nigrum L. was significantly negatively correlated with acid phosphatase activity and BCF, respectively, indicating acid phosphatase in the rhizosphere soil of Solanum nigrum L. were repressed by Cd toxicity despite of biochar amendment. Biochar had no negative effect on Cd accumulation ability of Solanum nigrum L. Two-way ANOVA analysis showed that both biochar and Cd significantly affected the height of Solanum nigrum L. and the dry weight of leaf and stem. This study implied that biochar addition does not limit the absorption of hyperaccumulator Solanum nigrum L. in the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil. This study implied that the simultaneous application of biochar and hyperccumulator Solanum nigrum L. is promising during the remediation of Cd-contaminated soil.

Nitric oxide (NO) as a momentous signal molecule participates in plant reproductive development and responds to various abiotic stresses. Here, the inhibitory effects of the NO-dominated signal network on the pollen tube growth of Camellia sinensis under low temperature (LT) were studied by microRNA (miRNA) omics analysis. The results showed that 77 and 71 differentially expressed miRNAs (DEMs) were induced by LT and NO treatment, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) analysis showed that DEM target genes related to microtubules and actin were enriched uniquely under LT treatment, while DEM target genes related to redox process were enriched uniquely under NO treatment. In addition, the target genes of miRNA co-regulated by LT and NO are only located on the cell membrane and cell wall, and most of them are enriched in metal ion binding and/or transport and cell wall organization. Furthermore, DEM and its target genes related to metal ion binding/transport, redox process, actin, cell wall organization and carbohydrate metabolism were identified and quantified by functional analysis and qRT-PCR. In conclusion, miRNA omics analysis provides a complex signal network regulated by NO-mediated miRNA, which changes cell structure and component distribution by adjusting Ca²⁺ gradient, thus affecting the polar growth of the C. sinensis pollen tube tip under LT.

Nitric oxide (NO), as a signal molecule, is involved in the mediation of heavy-metal-stress-induced physiological responses in plants. In this study, we investigated the effect of NO on Camellia sinensis pollen tubes exposed to aluminum (Al) stress. Exogenous application of the NO donor decreased the pollen germination rate and pollen tube length and increased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content and antioxidant enzyme activities under Al stress. Simultaneously, the NO donor effectively increased NO content in pollen tube of C. sinensis under Al stress and could aggravate the damage of Al³⁺ to C. sinensis pollen tubes by promoting the uptake of Al³⁺. In addition, application of the NO-specific scavenger significantly alleviated stress damage in C. sinensis pollen tube under Al stress. Moreover, 18 CsALMT members from a key Al-transporting gene family were identified, which could be divided into four subclasses. Pearson correlation analysis showed the expression level of CsALMT8 showed significant positive correlation with the Al³⁺ concentration gradient and NO levels, but a significant negative correlation with pollen germination rate and pollen tube length. The expression level of CsALMT5 was negatively correlated with the Al³⁺ concentration gradient and NO level, and positively correlated with pollen germination rate and pollen tube length. The expression level of CsALMT17 showed a significant negative correlation with Al³⁺ concentration and NO content in pollen tubes, but significant positive correlation with pollen germination rate and pollen tube length. In conclusion, a complex signal network regulated by NO-mediated CsALMTs revealed that CsALMT8 was regulated by environmental Al³⁺ and NO to assist Al³⁺ entry into pollen tubes; CsALMT5 might be influenced by the Al³⁺ signal, stimulate malate efflux in vacuoles and chelate with Al³⁺ to detoxify Al in C. sinensis pollen tube.