N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)is the most prevalent internal modification in eukaryotic mRNAs and contributes to the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression.In plants,m^(6)A modulates RNA splicing,stability,...N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)is the most prevalent internal modification in eukaryotic mRNAs and contributes to the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression.In plants,m^(6)A modulates RNA splicing,stability,and translation,thereby influencing developmental processes and responses to environmental stimuli.This review systematically examines current advances in the understanding of m^(6)A regulation in plants.We begin with an overview of the m^(6)A modification and its associated regulatory machinery,including the writers(methyltransferases),erasers(demethylases),and readers(m^(6)A-binding proteins)components,and discuss their roles in orchestrating RNA metabolism and determining plant phenotypes.Subsequent sections focus on the functional implications of m^(6)A in economically important crops,with evidence drawn from model systems such as Arabidopsis thaliana and key species including rice(Oryza sativa),tomato(Solanum lycopersicum),and strawberry(Fragaria vesca),where m^(6)A modifications have been linked to traits such as yield,maturation,and aroma.Finally,we explore emerging biotechnological strategies that harness m^(6)A-mediated regulatory pathways to enhance crop quality,such as overexpression of human FTO encoding an m^(6)A demethylase,quantitative m^(6)A profiling at single-base resolution,CRISPR/Cas13-targeted m^(6)A regulation,the application of small-molecule inhibitors,and m^(6)A-driven multi-omics integration.These strategies provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the multifaceted roles of m^(6)A in plant biology and underscore the potential of this modification as a target for next-generation crop improvement.展开更多
Growth inhibition and cold-acclimation strategies help plants withstand cold stress,which adversely affects growth and survival.PHYTOCHROME B(phyB)regulates plant growth through perceiving both light and ambient tempe...Growth inhibition and cold-acclimation strategies help plants withstand cold stress,which adversely affects growth and survival.PHYTOCHROME B(phyB)regulates plant growth through perceiving both light and ambient temperature signals.However,the mechanism by which phyB mediates the plant response to cold stress remains elusive.Here,we show that the key transcription factors mediating cold acclimation,C-REPEAT BINDING FACTORs(CBFs),interact with PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 3(PIF3)under cold stress,thus attenuating the mutually assured destruction of PIF3–phyB.Cold-stabilized phyB acts downstream of CBFs to positively regulate freezing tolerance by modulating the expression of stress-responsive and growth-related genes.Consistent with this,phyB mutants exhibited a freezing-sensitive phenotype,whereas phyB-overexpression transgenic plants displayed enhanced freezing tolerance.Further analysis showed that the PIF1,PIF4,and PIF5 proteins,all of which negatively regulate plant freezing tolerance,were destabilized by cold stress in a phytochrome-dependent manner.Collectively,our study reveals that CBFs–PIF3–phyB serves as an important regulatory module for modulating plant response to cold stress.展开更多
Photoreceptor cryptochromes (CRYs) mediate blue-light regulation of plant growth and development. It has been reported that Arabidopsis CRY1and CRY2 function by physically interacting with at least 84 proteins, includ...Photoreceptor cryptochromes (CRYs) mediate blue-light regulation of plant growth and development. It has been reported that Arabidopsis CRY1and CRY2 function by physically interacting with at least 84 proteins, including transcription factors or co-factors, chromatin regulators, splicing factors, messenger RNA methyltransferases, DNA repair proteins, E3 ubiquitin ligases, protein kinases and so on. Of these 84 proteins, 47 have been reported to exhibit altered binding affinity to CRYs in response to blue light, and 41 have been shown to exhibit condensation to CRY photobodies. The blue light-regulated composition or condensation of CRY complexes results in changes of gene expression and developmental programs. In this mini-review, we analyzed recent studies of the photoregulatory mechanisms of Arabidopsis CRY complexes and proposed the dual mechanisms of action, including the “Lock-and-Key” and the “Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS)” mechanisms. The dual CRY action mechanisms explain, at least partially, the structural diversity of CRY-interacting proteins and the functional diversity of the CRY photoreceptors.展开更多
基金supported by Shanghai Rising-Star Program(24QA2704600)to BCJ.
文摘N^(6)-methyladenosine(m^(6)A)is the most prevalent internal modification in eukaryotic mRNAs and contributes to the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression.In plants,m^(6)A modulates RNA splicing,stability,and translation,thereby influencing developmental processes and responses to environmental stimuli.This review systematically examines current advances in the understanding of m^(6)A regulation in plants.We begin with an overview of the m^(6)A modification and its associated regulatory machinery,including the writers(methyltransferases),erasers(demethylases),and readers(m^(6)A-binding proteins)components,and discuss their roles in orchestrating RNA metabolism and determining plant phenotypes.Subsequent sections focus on the functional implications of m^(6)A in economically important crops,with evidence drawn from model systems such as Arabidopsis thaliana and key species including rice(Oryza sativa),tomato(Solanum lycopersicum),and strawberry(Fragaria vesca),where m^(6)A modifications have been linked to traits such as yield,maturation,and aroma.Finally,we explore emerging biotechnological strategies that harness m^(6)A-mediated regulatory pathways to enhance crop quality,such as overexpression of human FTO encoding an m^(6)A demethylase,quantitative m^(6)A profiling at single-base resolution,CRISPR/Cas13-targeted m^(6)A regulation,the application of small-molecule inhibitors,and m^(6)A-driven multi-omics integration.These strategies provide a comprehensive framework for understanding the multifaceted roles of m^(6)A in plant biology and underscore the potential of this modification as a target for next-generation crop improvement.
基金This work was supported by grants from the Ministry of Agriculture of China,China(2016ZX08009003-002)the National Natural Science Foundation of China,China(31872658,31921001)Discipline Program of Beijing Outstanding University,China.
文摘Growth inhibition and cold-acclimation strategies help plants withstand cold stress,which adversely affects growth and survival.PHYTOCHROME B(phyB)regulates plant growth through perceiving both light and ambient temperature signals.However,the mechanism by which phyB mediates the plant response to cold stress remains elusive.Here,we show that the key transcription factors mediating cold acclimation,C-REPEAT BINDING FACTORs(CBFs),interact with PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR 3(PIF3)under cold stress,thus attenuating the mutually assured destruction of PIF3–phyB.Cold-stabilized phyB acts downstream of CBFs to positively regulate freezing tolerance by modulating the expression of stress-responsive and growth-related genes.Consistent with this,phyB mutants exhibited a freezing-sensitive phenotype,whereas phyB-overexpression transgenic plants displayed enhanced freezing tolerance.Further analysis showed that the PIF1,PIF4,and PIF5 proteins,all of which negatively regulate plant freezing tolerance,were destabilized by cold stress in a phytochrome-dependent manner.Collectively,our study reveals that CBFs–PIF3–phyB serves as an important regulatory module for modulating plant response to cold stress.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32330009 and 32000155)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(2020M670520,2021T140705).
文摘Photoreceptor cryptochromes (CRYs) mediate blue-light regulation of plant growth and development. It has been reported that Arabidopsis CRY1and CRY2 function by physically interacting with at least 84 proteins, including transcription factors or co-factors, chromatin regulators, splicing factors, messenger RNA methyltransferases, DNA repair proteins, E3 ubiquitin ligases, protein kinases and so on. Of these 84 proteins, 47 have been reported to exhibit altered binding affinity to CRYs in response to blue light, and 41 have been shown to exhibit condensation to CRY photobodies. The blue light-regulated composition or condensation of CRY complexes results in changes of gene expression and developmental programs. In this mini-review, we analyzed recent studies of the photoregulatory mechanisms of Arabidopsis CRY complexes and proposed the dual mechanisms of action, including the “Lock-and-Key” and the “Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation (LLPS)” mechanisms. The dual CRY action mechanisms explain, at least partially, the structural diversity of CRY-interacting proteins and the functional diversity of the CRY photoreceptors.
