(1) Annexins are proteins that bind phospholipids and calcium ions in cell membranes and mediate signal transduction between Ca²⁺ and cell membranes. They play key roles in plant immunity. (2) In this study, virus mediated gene silencing and the heterologous overexpression of TaAnn12 in Arabidopsis thaliana Col-0 trials were used to determine whether the wheat annexin TaAnn12 plays a positive role in plant disease resistance. (3) During the incompatible interaction between wheat cv. Suwon 11 and the Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) race CYR23, the expression of TaAnn12 was significantly upregulated at 24 h post inoculation (hpi). Silencing TaAnn12 in wheat enhanced the susceptibility to Pst. The salicylic acid hormone contents in the TaAnn12-silenced plants were significantly reduced. The overexpression of TaAnn12 in A. thaliana significantly increased resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000, and the symptoms of the wild-type plants were more serious than those of the transgenic plants; the amounts of bacteria were significantly lower than those in the control group, the accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)and callose deposition increased, and the expression of resistance-related genes (AtPR1, AtPR2, and AtPR5) significantly increased. (4) Our results suggest that wheat TaAnn12 resisted the invasion of pathogens by inducing the production and accumulation of ROS and callose.

Zizyphus jujuba Mill. cv. Goutou is an edible and medicinal fruit whose development significantly impacts the metabolism and accumulation of nutrients and is regulated by plant hormones. In this study, the metal element and triterpene acid content were investigated and transcriptomic analyses were conducted to evaluate changes in seven ripening stages (Stages I–VII) of Z. jujuba Mill. cv. Goutou. We first analyzed seven metal elements and found that the concentrations of Magnesium (Mg), Aluminum (Al), Calcium (Ca), Manganese (Mn), and Cuprum (Cu) were highest at Stage I; in comparison, the concentrations of Zinc (Zn) and Ferrum (Fe) were highest at Stage IV. Additionally, three triterpene acids were detected in the fruits, with the contents of betulinic acid and oleanolic acid being highest at Stage VII and that of ursolic acid being highest at Stage I. Subsequently, through Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) annotations, we identified 40, 18, 9, 6, and 11 differentially expressed genes involved in the auxin, abscisic acid (ABA), ethylene, gibberellic acid (GA), and jasmonic acid (JA) signaling pathways, respectively. Notably, genes associated with ABA, including ZjABA3, ZjABA4, ZjABA6, ZjABA7, ZjABA10, ZjABA11, ZjABA15-ZjABA19, ZjABA22-ZjABA25, and ZjABA27-ZjABA33, were downregulated from Stage I to Stage VII. Conversely, the expression of ZjACO in the ethylene signaling pathway was the highest at Stage VII. ZjMYC2-1, a JA signaling pathway gene, was significantly induced at Stage I compared to in the other stages. The genes ZjGID-1 and ZjTF-1, related to GA, exhibited the highest expression levels at Stage VI.

Actin filaments and their associated actin-binding proteins play key roles in plant innate immune signaling. CAP1, or cyclase-associated protein 1, is an important regulatory factor of the actin cytoskeleton-associated signaling network and was hypothesized here to be involved in resistance against wheat stripe rust because TaCAP1 expression was upregulated in response to Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici ( Pst). Downregulation of TaCAP1 expression led to decreased resistance against Pst, in contrast to increased resistance upon TaCAP1 overexpressing, as demonstrated by the changes of phenotypes and hyphal growth. We found increased expression of pathogenesis-responsive or relative related genes and disease grade changed in TaCAP1 overexpressing plants. Our results also showed TaCAP1-regulated host resistance to Pst by inducing the production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species and mediating the salicylic acid signaling pathway. Additionally, TaCAP1 interacted with chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins TaLHCB1.3 and TaLHCB1.4, also known as the light-harvesting chlorophyll-protein complex II subunit B, which belong to the light-harvesting complex II protein family. Silencing of two TaLHCB1 genes showed higher susceptibility to Pst, which reduced wheat resistance against Pst. Therefore, the data presented herein further illuminate our understanding that TaCAP1 interacts with TaLHCB1s and functions as a positive regulator of wheat resistance against stripe rust.

Atractylodes chinensis (DC.) Koidz is a pharmacologically significant medicinal plant that produces various bioactive metabolites, including β-eudesmol, which largely determines its medicinal quality and clinical efficacy. Treatment of A. chinensis hairy roots with 5-methoxyindole (5-MI), a chemical homolog of melatonin, revealed that 0.5 mmol·L⁻¹ 5-MI significantly enhanced β-eudesmol production. To investigate the underlying mechanism, we performed integrated transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. Comprehensive targeted metabolomics identified ten upregulated terpenoids among the differentially expressed metabolites following 5-MI treatment in A. chinensis hairy roots, including β-eudesmol. The 5-MI treatment significantly influenced the expression levels of genes associated with metabolic regulation and secondary metabolite synthesis in A. chinensis hairy roots, particularly promoting the upregulation of genes involved in terpenoid biosynthesis. Notably, a putative sesquiterpene synthase gene, AcTPS1, was significantly upregulated after 5-MI treatment and was a strong candidate gene correlated with β-eudesmol. AcTPS1 belongs to the TPS-a subfamily and exhibits tissue-specific expression, with high transcript levels in root tissues, especially in one-year-old roots of A. chinensis. This study demonstrates that 5-MI serves as an effective elicitor, providing valuable insights for the production of medicinally active compounds and enhancing our understanding of the molecular mechanism by which 5-MI regulates plant secondary metabolism.

Wheat Fusarium crown rot (FCR), predominantly caused by Fusarium species, is a devastating fungal disease that severely threatens global wheat production. In this study, we combined phytopathological assays, molecular techniques, and bioinformatic analyses to systematically identify the causal agents of FCR in Xinjiang and to screen for potential biocontrol bacteria. A total of 296 fungal isolates were obtained from 195 FCR samples, collected from Yumin County and Xinhe County. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses revealed that Fusarium culmorum was the predominant pathogen, accounting for 73.6% of the total isolates. To evaluate the resistance of local wheat cultivars, F. culmorum XN22-1, a highly virulent strain from Xinhe County, was inoculated to 30 wheat varieties. The results demonstrated that most cultivars lacked resistance to FCR, with the exception of three varieties—Xinchun 19, Xinchun 50, and Youpi 23, which showed a mid-resistance. Given the scarcity of resistant cultivars, we focused on biological control. To control FCR, Pseudomonas aeruginosa J-7, exhibiting broad-spectrum antagonistic activity, was successfully isolated from rhizosphere soil based on the analysis of healthy rhizosphere soil microbial diversity. Subsequently, pot experiments showed that P. aeruginosa J-7 could significantly reduce the disease incidence and lower the disease index of wheat FCR. Furthermore, whole-genome sequencing, in-plate metabolite analysis, and observation on inhibition of spores and mycelium revealed that P. aeruginosa J-7 mediates its biocontrol activity primarily through the production of phenazine and siderophores, which collectively inhibit conidial germination and cause structural damage to the mycelium. This study not only clarifies the composition of FCR pathogens in Xinjiang but also provides a promising biocontrol agent and new strategic insights for the management of wheat crown rot.