Background: Valine-glutamine (VQ) proteins are non-specific plant proteins that have a highly conserved motif: FxxhVQxhTG. These proteins are involved in the development of various plant organs such as seeds, hypocotyls, flowers, leaves and also play a role in response to salt, drought and cold stresses. Despite their importance, there is limited information available on the evolutionary and structural characteristics of VQ family genes in Coix lacryma-jobi. Results: In this study, a total of 31 VQ genes were identified from the coix genome and classified into seven subgroups (I–VII) based on phylogenetic analysis. These genes were found to be unevenly distributed on 10 chromosomes. Gene structure analysis revealed that these genes had a similar type of structure within each subfamily. Moreover, 27 of ClVQ genes were found to have no introns. Conserved domain and multiple sequence alignment analysis revealed the presence of a highly conserved sequences in the ClVQ protein. This research utilized quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) and promoter analysis to investigate the expression of ClVQ genes under different stress conditions. Results showed that most ClVQ genes responded to polyethylene glycol, heat treatment, salt, abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate treatment with varying degrees of expression. Furthermore, some ClVQ genes exhibited significant correlation in expression changes under abiotic stress, indicating that these genes may act synergistically in response to adversarial stress. Additionally, yeast dihybrid verification revealed an interaction between ClVQ4, ClVQ12, and ClVQ26. Conclusions: This study conducted a genome-wide analysis of the VQ gene family in coix, including an examination of phylogenetic relationships, conserved domains, cis-elements and expression patterns. The goal of the study was to identify potential drought resistance candidate genes, providing a theoretical foundation for molecular resistance breeding.

Background: Homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-Zip) transcription factors are plant-specific and play important roles in plant defense against environmental stresses. Identification and functional studies have been carried out in model plants such as rice, Arabidopsis thaliana, and poplar, but comprehensive analysis on the HD-Zip family of Salix suchowensis have not been reported. Results: A total of 55 HD-Zip genes were identified in the willow genome, unevenly distributed on 18 chromosomes except for chromosome 19. And segmental duplication events containing SsHD-Zip were detected on all chromosomes except chromosomes 13 and 19. The SsHD-Zip were classified into 4 subfamilies subfamilies (I-IV) according to the evolutionary analysis, and members of each subfamily shared similar domain structure and gene structure. The combination of GO annotation and promoter analysis showed that SsHD-Zip genes responded to multiple abiotic stresses. Furthermore, the results of qPCR analysis showed that the SsHD-Zip I gene exhibited different degrees of expression under salt stress, PEG treatment and heat treatment. Moreover, there was a synergistic effect between SsHD-Zip I genes under stress conditions based on coregulatory networks analysis. Conclusions: In this study, HD-Zip transcription factors were systematically identified and analyzed at the whole genome level. These results preliminarily clarified the structural characteristics and related functions of willow HD-Zip family members, and it was found that SsHox34, SsHox36 and SsHox51 genes were significantly involved in the response to various stresses. Together, these findings laid the foundation for further research on the resistance functions of willow HD-Zip genes.

Introduction: Climate-driven precipitation changes are increasingly threatening alpine ecosystems, yet the adaptive responses of soil microbiomes to rainfall variability remain poorly characterized. This knowledge gaphinders our ability to predict ecosystem resilience under future climate scenarios.Methods: We combined metagenomic sequencing with detailed physicochemical analyses to examine how natural precipitation events reshape the microbial communities in both rhizosphere and bulk soils associated with Poa alpigena in the alpine sandy ecosystems of Qinghai Lake.Results: Rainfall significantly reduced bacterial alpha diversity, particularly in bulk soils, and triggered a compositional shift from drought-resistant taxa (e.g., Geobacter, Pseudomonas) to moisture-adapted genera (e.g., Azospirillum, Methylobacterium). Actinobacteria remained consistently dominant (31.56-34.62%), while Proteobacteria abundance decreased markedly in the rhizosphere post-rainfall. Metabolic reconstruction revealed a transition from pre-rainfall carbohydrate catabolism to post-rainfall anaerobic energy production and carbon fixation pathways. The rhizosphere microbiome uniquely displayed drought-induced biofilm formation and rainfall-enhanced branched-chain amino acid metabolism. Soil moisture and total carbon were identified as primary drivers of microbial restructuring in bulk soils, whereas root exudates conferred stability to rhizosphere communities against hydrological fluctuations.Discussion: These results elucidate microbiome-mediated adaptive strategies to precipitation changes in alpine sandy ecosystems, highlighting the critical buffering role of plant-microbe interactions. The study provides a mechanistic basis for predicting and restoring climatevulnerable wetlands under increasingly variable hydrological regimes.

The valine glutamine (VQ) proteins are transcription cofactors involved in various aspects of plant biology, including growth, development, and stress resistance, making them an attractive target for genetic engineering aimed at enhancing plant resilience and productivity. However, comprehensive reports or systematic studies on VQ cofactors in Salix suchowensis remain lacking. In this study, we analyzed SsVQ genes using bioinformatics methods based on the Salix suchowensis genome database. Expression profiles were further investigated through qRT-PCR under six treatments: PEG, NaCl, 40 °C, ABA, SA, and MeJA. A total of 39 SsVQ genes were identified, with phylogenetic analysis classifying them into seven groups. Collinearity analysis suggested that SsVQ gene amplification primarily resulted from whole genome duplication (WGD) or segmental duplication events. Ka/Ks ratios indicated that willow VQ genes have undergone predominantly purifying selection. Gene structure analysis revealed that SsVQ genes are intronless. Multiple sequence alignment showed that SsVQ19 shares similarity with PtVQ27, containing a hydrophilic threonine (T) residue preceding the VQ amino acid residues. Furthermore, genes within each group exhibited conserved structures and VQ motifs. Promoter and expression analyses suggested the potential roles of SsVQ genes in regulating willow responses to environmental stresses and hormonal signals. Most SsVQ genes displayed differential expression at specific time points, with six members (SsVQ2, SsVQ9, SsVQ12, SsVQ23, SsVQ32, and SsVQ34) showing sustained high-amplitude expression profiles across treatments. Notably, SsVQ34 demonstrated pronounced transcriptional induction under PEG stress, with expression levels upregulated by 62.29-fold (1 h), 49.21-fold (6 h), 99.9-fold (12 h), and 201.50-fold (24 h). Certain SsVQ genes showed co-expression under abiotic/hormonal stresses, implying synergistic functions. Paralogous gene pairs exhibited stronger co-expression than non-paralogous pairs. This study provides novel insights into the structural and functional characteristics of the VQ gene family in Salix suchowensis, establishing a foundation for future research on the stress-resistance mechanisms of willow VQ genes.

Phenolic acids are known allelopathic compounds that may serve as the primary cause of continuous cropping obstacles in Coix lacryma-jobi L. (Coix). However, the concentrations, types, and specific stress responses of Coix to these phenolic acids still require further investigation. In this study, the cultivar ‘Wanyi 2′ was used to examine the effects of different phenolic acids and their concentrations on the growth of Coix. Four concentrations (0 mg/L, 10 mg/L, 100 mg/L, and 1000 mg/L) and four phenolic acid types (p-hydroxybenzoic acid, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, and ferulic acid) were used to assess their influences on plant growth, leaf physiological parameters, and metabolic pathways under greenhouse conditions. In this greenhouse pot experiment, the effects of the four phenolic acids showed a similar tendency: a low concentration (10 mg/L) tended to promote the growth and root development of Coix seedlings, whereas high concentrations (100 and 1000 mg/L) generally showed inhibitory effects. Among these phenolic acids, ferulic acid exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect at the highest concentration (1000 mg/L), while salicylic acid showed the most pronounced growth-promoting effect at low concentrations (10 mg/L). In addition, high levels of phenolic acids markedly increased antioxidant enzyme activities and oxidative stress-related substances in Coix leaves, while reducing soluble sugar (SS) and soluble protein (SP) contents. Our data suggest that under phenolic acid stress, Coix leaves exhibited changes in the metabolism of phenolic acids (e.g., 4-methoxysalicylic acid, gallic acid) and amino acids (e.g., glutathione, proline), which may be associated with the adaptive response to allelochemical-induced stress. Overall, this study provides insights that may support strategies to optimize plant growth regulators and mitigate continuous cropping barriers in Coix.

Background: In-situ fluorescent labeling of cotton fibers using biomass-derived carbon dots remains underexplored. Conventional labeling techniques may damage fiber structure, exhibit limited environmental stability, and incur relatively high costs, restricting their practical application in sustainable cotton traceability. Carbon dots possess favorable photoluminescence properties, good biocompatibility, and low toxicity, showing promising potential for plant bioimaging and in-situ tracking. This provides a feasible route for developing low-damage, cost-effective, and stable labeling approaches for cotton fibers. In this study, green fluorescent carbon dots (G-CDs) were hydrothermally synthesized using renewable cotton stalk waste as the carbon source, and their applicability for in-situ fluorescent labeling of cotton fibers was investigated. Results: The prepared G-CDs exhibited excitation-dependent photoluminescence, with optimal excitation at 410 nm, emission at 530 nm, and a quantum yield of 5.99%. TEM characterization revealed uniformly dispersed G-CDs nanoparticles with particle sizes ranging from 1.75 to 4.25 nm and an average diameter of 2.67 nm. FTIR and XPS analyses confirmed abundant hydrophilic functional groups (–OH, C = O, and C–N) on the G-CDs surface. G-CDs were supplied to cotton plants via root irrigation from the seedling stage to the boll-opening stage. CLSM observation and quantitative fluorescence analysis showed that G-CDs were absorbed by cotton roots (56.281 ± 1.073), translocated upward to stems (52.413 ± 2.003) and leaves (41.306 ± 2.063), and eventually accumulated in mature cotton fibers (29.985 ± 0.939). Furthermore, G-CDs labeling did not induce significant changes in cotton growth or fiber quality. All growth-related indicators and fiber quality parameters showed no statistically significant differences between the control and treatment groups ( p > 0.05). Conclusion: G-CDs achieved in-situ fluorescent labeling of cotton fibers without impairing plant growth or fiber quality, while the synthesis strategy enabled the reuse of agricultural cotton stalk waste. It is suggested that this dual advantage facilitates non-destructive cotton labeling and the sustainable utilization of biomass waste. This work illustrates the applicable potential of biomass-derived carbon dots for in planta fiber labeling and cotton traceability research.