Stress-associated proteins (SAPs) are a kind of zinc finger protein with an A20/AN1 domain and contribute to plants’ adaption to various abiotic and biological stimuli. However, little is known about the SAP genes in maize (Zea mays L.). In the present study, the SAP genes were identified from the maize genome. Subsequently, the protein properties, gene structure and duplication, chromosomal location, and cis-acting elements were analyzed by bioinformatic methods. Finally, their expression profiles under osmotic stresses, including drought and salinity, as well as ABA, and overexpression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae W303a cells, were performed to uncover the potential function. The results showed that a total of 10 SAP genes were identified and named ZmSAP1 to ZmSAP10 in maize, which was unevenly distributed on six of the ten maize chromosomes. The ZmSAP1, ZmSAP4, ZmSAP5, ZmSAP6, ZmSAP7, ZmSAP8 and ZmSAP10 had an A20 domain at N terminus and AN1 domain at C terminus, respectively. Only ZmSAP2 possessed a single AN1 domain at the N terminus. ZmSAP3 and ZmSAP9 both contained two AN1 domains without an A20 domain. Most ZmSAP genes lost introns and had abundant stress- and hormone-responsive cis-elements in their promoter region. The results of quantitative real-time PCR showed that all ZmSAP genes were regulated by drought and saline stresses, as well as ABA induction. Moreover, heterologous expression of ZmSAP2 and ZmSAP7 significantly improved the saline tolerance of yeast cells. The study provides insights into further underlying the function of ZmSAPs in regulating stress response in maize.

The normal development of pollen grains and the completion of double fertilization in embryos are crucial for both the sexual reproduction of angiosperms and grain production. Actin depolymerizing factor (ADF) regulates growth, development, and responses to biotic and abiotic stress by binding to actin in plants. In this study, the function of the ZmADF1 gene was validated through bioinformatic analysis, subcellular localization, overexpression in maize and Arabidopsis, and knockout via CRISPR/Cas9. The amino acid sequence of ZmADF1 exhibited high conservation and a similar tertiary structure to that of ADF homologs. Subcellular localization analysis revealed that ZmADF1 is localized mainly to the nucleus and cytoplasm. The ZmADF1 gene was specifically expressed in maize pollen, and overexpression of the ZmADF1 gene decreased the number of pollen grains in the anthers of transgenic Arabidopsis plants. The germination rate of pollen and the empty seed shell rate in the fruit pods of the overexpressing plants were significantly greater than those in the wild-type (WT) plants. In maize, the pollen viability of the knockout lines was significantly greater than that of both the WT and the overexpressing lines. Our results confirmed that the ZmADF1 gene was specifically expressed in pollen and negatively regulated pollen quantity, vigor, germination rate, and seed setting rate. This study provides insights into ADF gene function and possible pathways for improving high-yield maize breeding.

Drought stress is a primary abiotic stress that causes significant losses to forestry and agricultural production. Therefore, exploring drought-responsive genes and their regulatory mechanism is crucial for plant molecular breeding for forestry and agriculture production safety. Small auxin-up RNA (SAUR) proteins are essential in plant growth and development but show functional diversity in stress response. In this study, the transcriptome sequencing data of Ammopiptanthus nanus seedlings revealed that the expression of AnSAUR50 was continuously downregulated under drought stress. Hence, the AnSAUR50 gene was cloned and functionally analyzed in drought response. The results showed that the coding sequence of AnSAUR50 was 315 bp in length and encoded 104 amino acids. The AnSAUR50 protein showed high conservation, possessed a SAUR-specific domain, and localized in the nucleus and cell membrane. The heterologous expression of the AnSAUR50 gene enhanced the drought sensitivity of the transgenic Arabidopsis with a lower survival rate, biomass, and higher malondialdehyde content and relative electrolyte leakage. Moreover, transgenic plants showed shorter root lengths and bigger stomatal apertures, resulting in facilitating water loss under drought stress. The study indicates that AnSAUR50 negatively regulates drought tolerance by inhibiting root growth and stomatal closure, which provides insights into the underlying function and regulatory mechanism of SAURs in plant stress response.

Background/Objectives: Houttuynia cordata Thunb., a widely consumed vegetable and traditional food in Asia, possesses significant nutritional value. However, the impact of geographical origin on its nutritional metabolite composition, crucial for food quality and functionality, remains unclear. Methods: Here, we conducted a comprehensive metabolomic analysis of H. cordata cultivated across six major Chinese regions (Yunnan, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan, Chongqing, Hubei) using UPLC-MS/MS. Results and Conclusions: We identified 496 nutritional metabolites, predominantly amino acids and derivatives (53.23%). Key bioactive carbohydrates, maltotriose and maltitol, exhibited distinct geographical accumulation patterns: maltotriose was significantly enriched in Yunnan (YN), while maltitol accumulated predominantly in Sichuan (SC). Integrated transcriptomic analysis linked this variation to the differential expression of starch metabolism genes (GBE1/glgB, α-amylases, β-amylases). Bioinformatic evaluation suggested potential health-related functionalities associated with these metabolites. These findings provide critical insights into the geographical determinants of H. cordata nutritional quality and functional properties. They offer a scientific foundation for optimizing cultivation practices based on regional advantages and developing H. cordata as a region-specific, high-value vegetable and functional food ingredient targeting distinct nutraceutical applications.

Ocimum basilicum is widely used as both a culinary and medicinal plant; however, its nutritional metabolite composition, functional relevance, and underlying regulatory mechanisms remain incompletely characterized. To systematically profile nutritional metabolites and explore their potential biological relevance in O. basilicum, an integrative multi-omics strategy that combined UPLC-MS/MS-based metabolomics, transcriptomics, network pharmacology, and molecular docking was deployed herein. A total of 443 nutritional metabolites across four accessions were identified, including vitamins, saccharides, amino acids and lipids. Of these, Vitamin A1 (retinol) and N-acetyl-L-tryptophan were found to be important metabolites that could have functional significance. Predictive network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses suggested potential in silico interactions between these metabolites and disease-associated targets, including ESR2 and MAPK1; these findings await experimental validation. Transcriptomic analysis also showed that genes involved in Vitamin A1 biosynthesis (PSY, LCYB) were expressed, and the expression patterns of the genes were validated by the qPCR analysis, in which expression level was largely consistent with the transcriptome results. Specifically, the accessions G083 and G082 showed high values of Vitamin A1 and N-acetyl-L-tryptophan, respectively, suggesting that they may also be interesting germplasm for functional food innovation and the development of nutraceuticals. Overall, this study offers a comprehensive multi-omics dataset and mechanistic insights that can help in the targeted use of O. basilicum for nutritional and functional applications.