The seeds of Ziziphus jujuba var. sp inosa are a traditional Chinese medicine for treating insomnia, with jujuboside A and jujuboside B as their core bioactive components. However, the biosynthetic pathways and regulatory mechanisms of these triterpenoid saponins remain poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the accumulation patterns of jujube saponins across 10 varieties at 45, 65, and 85 days after flowering (DAF). Integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses revealed 2,040 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 1,593 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs). Among these, 35 core DEGs were consistently significant across comparisons, enriched in saponin metabolism, monooxygenase activity, and glycosylation processes. A Uridine Diphosphate (UDP)-glucosyltransferase and two CYP450 family members exhibited expression patterns positively correlated with saponin accumulation, showing upregulation during 45 and 65 DAF and suppression by 85 DAF. qRT-PCR validation confirmed their higher expression in high-saponin varieties. Additionally, downregulated stress–response genes in high-saponin varieties suggested a potential link between abiotic stress tolerance and enhanced saponin production. These findings identify key glycosyltransferase and cytochrome P450 genes potentially governing jujuboside biosynthesis, providing critical insights for metabolic engineering and quality improvement of Z. jujuba .

Cucumbers are rich in vitamins and minerals. The cucumber has recently become one of China’s main vegetable crops. More specifically, the adjustment of the Chinese agricultural industry’s structure and rapid economic development have resulted in increases in the planting area allocated to Chinese cucumber varieties and in the number of Chinese cucumber varieties. After complete sequencing of the “Chinese long” genome, the transcriptome, proteome, and metabolome were obtained. Cucumber has a small genome and short growing cycle, and these traits are conducive to the application of molecular breeding techniques for improving fruit quality. Here, we review the developments and applications of molecular markers and genetic maps for cucumber breeding and introduce the functions of gene families from the perspective of genomics, including fruit development and quality, hormone response, resistance to abiotic stress, epitomizing the development of other omics, and relationships among functions.

In this study, the near-naturalization process of Pinus tabulaeformis plantations in Baxianshan National Nature Reserve was divided into three stages depending on the proportion of P. tabulaeformis present, resulting in the following categories: the P. tabulaeformis forest stage, the mixed forest stage, and the near-natural forest stage. Natural secondary forests were selected as a control. We assessed alterations in the soil’s fungal functional structures from three aspects: functional mode, vegetative mode, and growth mode, and their responses to vegetation and soil factors were also explored. The results showed that ectomycorrhizal, saprophytic, and plant pathogen types were dominant in the functional mode, and plant pathogens were most abundant in the P. tabulaeformis forest stage. Meanwhile, ectomycorrhizal fungi were the least abundant in the near-natural forest stage. In the vegetative mode, saprophytic, pathophysiological, and symbiotic types were dominant, and pathophysiological types were the most abundant in the P. tabulaeformis forest stage. In the growth mode, microfungi dominated, and the abundance of clavarioid decreased with near-naturalization. The degree of variation in functional structure in the three dimensions increased with near-naturalization, but the structure of natural secondary forests converged. The species composition of tree layer obviously affected the abundance and functional structure of fungi in the three modes, among which Quercus mongolia and Carpinus hornbeam were the most significant. The soil’s pH and nitrate content significantly affected the structure of the functional mode, and the soil’s dry matter content and C/N ratio significantly affected the structure of the vegetative mode. In this study, we explored the interaction between the plant community and soil ecological system during the near-naturalization process of plantations in terms of soil fungi functions, further clarifying the role of soil functions in the succession of plant communities and providing a new perspective on the in-depth exploration of ecosystem interactions during the succession of plantations.

Terpenoids are critical components of plant environmental adaptation mechanisms. They also exhibit significant therapeutic potential in herbal medicine. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase (HMGR), a pivotal rate-limiting enzyme governing the initial stage of the mevalonate (MVA) pathway in triterpene saponin biosynthesis, remains uncharacterized in Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa. Through genome-wide and molecular analysis, we systematically identified ZjHMGR isoforms and revealed differential tissue-specific expression patterns and significant salt stress-responsive regulation across identified isoforms. Our findings reveal three evolutionarily conserved ZjHMGR isoforms with a complete HMG-CoA reductase domain and closely related to Populus trichocarpa. Collinearity analysis revealed two collinear gene pairs, and purifying selection was identified as the primary evolutionary force acting on the ZjHMGR gene family. Cis-acting element analysis revealed that ZjHMGR gene family enriched MYB-related, TC-rich repeats, light- and hormone-responsive elements, suggesting transcriptional regulation by environmental stimuli and phytohormones. Spatiotemporal expression analysis via qRT-PCR revealed differential transcriptional patterns of ZjHMGR members, with pronounced upregulation under ABA, MeJA, and light induction. Saline stress disrupted the growth of wild jujube seedlings while activating ZjHMGR expression alongside other MVA pathway genes. Overexpression of ZjHMGR enhances salt stress resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana. This study lays the foundation for further investigations into the molecular mechanisms of the ZjHMGR gene family concerning saponin biosynthesis, phytohormone interactions, and salt tolerance in wild jujube.

Cistanche tubulosa is a valuable herbal remedy in China. In this study, we aimed to identify and analyze how bioactive compounds are affected by planting region and soil properties. Plant and soil samples in desert and alkaline-saline environments were collected, and measurements were obtained for (i) dry weight and medicinal compounds of plant samples and (ii) soil salinity and pH of soil samples. The effect of soil salinity on the medicinal compounds revealed that the dry weight per plant of C. tubulosa was relatively high in low salinity soil. However, under high salinity conditions, echinacoside and verbascoside contents increased. No visible effects of individual soil pH were found on dry weight and echinacoside, verbascoside, and mannitol contents. Regarding the interaction between soil salinity and pH, only mannitol content showed a significant difference. The mannitol content was unaffected by pH in the presence of slight salinity conditions; meanwhile, in severe salinity conditions, high pH dramatically lowered the mannitol content. In loam with saline soil, a lower dry weight per plant was observed but the planting density was higher. The good water and fertilizer retention abilities of loam can lead to a higher yield per unit area. To improve yield and quality simultaneously in the introduction regions, the crucial points for cultivation techniques of C. tubulosa in seashore saline land include a high seed dosage of C. tubulosa and moderate soil salinity.