Maize (Zea mays) is an important model crop for transgenic studies. However, genetic transformation of maize requires embryonic calli derived from immature embryo, and the impact of utilizing tissue culture methods on the maize epigenome is poorly understood. Here, we generated whole-genome MeDIP-seq data examining DNA methylation in dedifferentiated and normal immature maize embryos. We observed that most of the dedifferentiated embryos exhibited a methylation increase compared to normal embryos. Increased methylation at promoters was associated with down-regulated protein-coding gene expression; however, the correlation was not strong. Analysis of the callus and immature embryos indicated that the methylation increase was induced during induction of embryonic callus, suggesting phenotypic consequences may be caused by perturbations in genomic DNA methylation levels. The correlation between the 21-24nt small RNAs and DNA methylation regions were investigated but only a statistically significant correlation for 24nt small RNAs was observed. These data extend the significance of epigenetic changes during maize embryo callus formation, and the methylation changes might explain some of the observed embryonic callus variation in callus formation.

Nitrogen-based nutrients are the main factors affecting rice growth and development. As the nitrogen (N) application rate increased, the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of rice decreased. Therefore, it is important to understand the molecular mechanism of rice plant morphological, physiological, and yield formation under low N conditions to improve NUE. In this study, changes in the rice morphological, physiological, and yield-related traits under low N (13.33 ppm) and control N (40.00 ppm) conditions were performed. These results show that, compared with control N conditions, photosynthesis and growth were inhibited and the carbon (C)/N and photosynthetic nitrogen use efficiency (PNUE) were enhanced under low N conditions. To understand the post-translational modification mechanism underlying the rice response to low N conditions, comparative phosphoproteomic analysis was performed, and differentially modified proteins (DMPs) were further characterized. Compared with control N conditions, a total of 258 DMPs were identified under low N conditions. The modification of proteins involved in chloroplast development, chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthesis, carbon metabolism, phytohormones, and morphology-related proteins were differentially altered, which was an important reason for changes in rice morphological, physiological, and yield-related traits. Additionally, inconsistent changes in level of transcription and protein modification, indicates that the study of phosphoproteomics under low N conditions is also important for us to better understand the adaptation mechanism of rice to low N stress. These results provide insights into global changes in the response of rice to low N stress and may facilitate the development of rice cultivars with high NUE by regulating the phosphorylation level of carbon metabolism and rice morphology-related proteins.

Brassinosteroids (BRs), a class of steroidal phytohormones, play crucial roles in regulating plant growth, development, and environmental adaptation in rice. With the elucidation of BR signaling pathways in Arabidopsis , the rice BR regulatory network has been progressively uncovered, revealing both conserved and unique features. In this review, we first summarize recent advances in understanding BR signaling mechanisms in rice. We then focus on how BR signaling integrates environmental cues, including nutrient availability, high-temperature stress, drought stress, and pathogen responses, to fine-tune growth and yield. Moreover, we highlight the complex cross-talk between BR signaling and other phytohormones that enables dynamic responses to environmental fluctuations. Finally, we discuss the potential applications of BR-related genes in rice production, together with the challenges of their translation into practical agricultural systems, providing perspectives and opportunities for environmentally adaptive breeding. Taken together, recent discoveries deepen our understanding of BR signaling in rice and provide a conceptual framework for exploring its roles in environmentally adaptive growth regulation and crop improvement.