Salicylic acid signaling inhibits apoplastic reactive oxygen species signaling

Decoding early stress signaling waves in living plants using nanosensor multiplexing

Increased exposure to environmental stresses due to climate change have adversely affected plant growth and productivity. Upon stress, plants activate a signaling cascade, involving multiple molecules like H2O2, and plant hormones such as salicylic acid (SA) leading to resistance or stress adaptation. However, the temporal ordering and composition of the resulting cascade remains largely unknown. In this study we developed a nanosensor for SA and multiplexed it with H2O2 nanosensor for simultaneous monitoring of stress-induced H2O2 and SA signals when Brassica rapa subsp. Chinensis (Pak choi) plants were subjected to distinct stress treatments, namely light, heat, pathogen stress and mechanical wounding. Nanosensors reported distinct dynamics and temporal wave characteristics of H2O2 and SA generation for each stress. Based on these temporal insights, we have formulated a biochemical kinetic model that suggests the early H2O2 waveform encodes information specific to each stress type. These results demonstrate that sensor multiplexing can reveal stress signaling mechanisms in plants, aiding in developing climate-resilient crops and pre-symptomatic stress diagnoses.

Hydrogen Sulfide in the Oxidative Stress Response of Plants: Crosstalk with Reactive Oxygen Species

Growing evidence suggests that exposure of plants to unfavorable environments leads to the accumulation of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and reactive oxygen species (ROS). H2S interacts with the ROS-mediated oxidative stress response network at multiple levels. Therefore, it is essential to elucidate the mechanisms by which H2S and ROS interact. The molecular mechanism of action by H2S relies on the post-translational modification of the cysteine sulfur group (-SH), known as persulfidation. H2S cannot react directly with -SH, but it can react with oxidized cysteine residues, and this oxidation process is induced by H2O2. Evidently, ROS is involved in the signaling pathway of H2S and plays a significant role. In this review, we summarize the role of H2S-mediated post-translational modification mechanisms in oxidative stress responses. Moreover, the mechanism of interaction between H2S and ROS in the regulation of redox reactions is focused upon, and the positive cooperative role of H2S and ROS is elucidated. Subsequently, based on the existing evidence and clues, we propose some potential problems and new clues to be explored, which are crucial for the development of the crosstalk mechanism of H2S and ROS in plants.

Insights into salicylic acid-mediated redox homeostasis, carbohydrate metabolism and secondary metabolite involvement in improvement of photosynthetic performance, enzyme activities, ionomics, and yield in different varieties of Abelmoschus esculentus

Salicylic acid (SA) is a well-known signaling molecule and phenolic plant hormone. However, the optimal concentration of SA required for beneficial effects may vary across different plant species. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of salicylic acid (SA) on two different varieties of Abelmoschus esculentus (Sakata-713 and Neelam) in order to determine the optimal concentration of SA and its impact on the growth, physiology, and biochemical processes of the plants. We conducted an experiment applying different SA concentrations (0, 10-4, 10-5, 10-6, 10-7 M) at 25 days after sowing (DAS) and evaluated various plant parameters at different stages. To evaluate various parameters sampling was performed at 30 and 45 DAS; yield traits were calculated at 60 DAS. The results indicate that SA application increased cell division, trichome number, chlorophyll content, photosynthesis, gas exchange traits, and elemental status which further boosted plants growth and yield traits. SA application stimulated activity of several enzymes that participate in carboxylation/decarboxylation homeostasis (carbonic anhydrase), nitrogen metabolism (nitrate reductase), Calvin cycle (Rubisco), TCA cycle (succinate dehydrogenase and fumarase) and secondary metabolism (phenylalanine lyase). A gradual increase in the production of secondary metabolites (total phenol, total flavonoid, anthocyanin) and carbon metabolism (total reducing sugars, starch, glucose, fructose, sucrose) was observed. Notably, SA treatment also played a vital role in maintaining a balanced equilibrium between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the scavenging system (catalase, peroxidase, superoxide dismutase). Based on our results, the optimal concentration of SA was determined to be 10-5 M, as it yielded the most favourable outcomes among the different concentrations tested. Moreover, when comparing the two varieties of okra, Sakata-713 exhibited a more promising response to SA treatment compared to Neelam.

Chemopriming for induction of disease resistance against pathogens in rice

Rice is an important grain crop of Asian population. Different fungal, bacterial and viral pathogens cause large reduction in rice grain production. Use of chemical pesticides, to provide protection against pathogens, has become incomplete due to pathogens resistance and is cause of environmental concerns. Therefore, induction of resistance in rice against pathogens via biopriming and chemopriming with safe and novel agents has emerged on a global level as ecofriendly alternatives that provide protection against broad spectrum of rice pathogens without any significant yield penalty. In the past three decades, a number of chemicals such as silicon, salicylic acid, vitamins, plant extract, phytohormones, nutrients etc. have been used to induce defense against bacterial, fungal and viral rice pathogens. From the detailed analysis of abiotic agents used, it has been observed that silicon and salicylic acid are two potential chemicals for inducing resistance against fungal and bacterial diseases in rice, respectively. However, an inclusive evaluation of the potential of different abiotic agents to induce resistance against rice pathogens is lacking due to which the studies on induction of defense against rice pathogens via chemopriming has become disproportionate and discontinuous. The present review deals with a comprehensive analysis of different abiotic agents used to induce defense against rice pathogens, their mode of application, mechanism of defense induction and the effect of defense induction on grain yield. It also provides an account of unexplored areas, which might be taken into attention to efficiently manage rice diseases. DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT: Data sharing not applicable to this article as no datasets were generated or analysed during the current study.

Pathogen-induced autophagy regulates monolignol transport and lignin formation in plant immunity

The evolutionary plant-pathogen arms race has equipped plants with the immune system that can defend against pathogens. Pattern-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity are two major branches of innate immunity that share immune responses, including oxidative bursts, transcriptional reprogramming, and cell wall modifications such as lignin deposition. In a previous study, we reported that lignin rapidly accumulates in pathogen-infected Arabidopsis leaves and acts as a mechanical barrier, spatially restricting pathogens and cell death. Lignin deposition into the cell wall is a three-step process: monolignol biosynthesis, transport, and polymerization. While monolignol biosynthesis and polymerization are relatively well understood, the mechanism of monolignol transport remains unclear. In this study, we show that macroautophagy/autophagy modulates pathogen-induced lignin formation. Lignification and other immune responses were impaired in autophagy-defective atg (autophagy-related) mutants. In microscopy analyses, monolignols formed punctate structures in response to pathogen infection and colocalized with autophagic vesicles. Furthermore, autophagic activity and lignin accumulation were both enhanced in dnd1 (defense, no death 1) mutant with elevated disease resistance but no cell death and crossing dnd1-1 with atg mutants resulted in a lignin deficit, further supporting that lignin formation requires autophagy. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that lignification, particularly monolignol transport, is achieved through autophagic membrane trafficking in plant immunity.Abbreviations: ABC transporter: ATP-binding cassette transporter; ACD2/AT4G37000: accelerated cell death 2; ATG: autophagy-related; C3'H/AT2G40890: p-coumaroyl shikimate 3-hydroxylase; C4H/AT2G30490: cinnamate 4-hydroxylase; CA: coniferyl alcohol; CaMV: cauliflower mosaic virus; CASP: Casparian strip membrane domain protein; CASPL: CASP-like protein; CBB: Coomassie Brilliant Blue; CCoAOMT1/AT4G34050: caffeoyl-CoA O-methyltransferase 1; CCR1/AT1G15950: cinnamoyl-CoA reductase 1; CFU: colony-forming unit; COMT1/AT5G54160: caffeic acid O-methyltransferase 1; Con A: concanamycin A; DMAC: dimethylaminocoumarin; DND1/AT5G15410: defense, no death 1; CNGC2: cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 2; ER: endoplasmic reticulum; ESB1/AT2G28670/DIR10: enhanced suberin 1; ETI: effector-triggered immunity; EV: extracellular vesicle; F5H/AT4G36220: ferulate-5-hydroxylase; Fluo-3 AM: Fluo-3 acetoxymethyl ester; GFP: green fluorescent protein; HCT/AT5G48930: p-hydroxycinnamoyl-CoA:quinate/shikimate p-hydroxycinnamoyltransferase; HR: hypersensitive response; LAC: laccase; LTG: LysoTracker Green; LSD1/AT4G200380: lesion stimulating disease 1; PAL1/AT2G37040: phenylalanine ammonia-lyase 1; PAMP: pathogen-associated molecular patterns; PCD: programmed cell death; PE: phosphatidylethanolamine; PRX: peroxidase; Pst DC3000: Pseudomonas syringe pv. tomato DC3000; PTI: pattern-triggered immunity; SA: salicylic acid; SD: standard deviation; SID2/AT1G7410: SA induction-deficient 2; UGT: UDP-glucosyltransferase; UPLC: ultraperformance liquid chromatography; UPS: unconventional protein secretion; V-ATPase: vacuolar-type H⁺-translocating ATPase.

Elevated O3 concentrations alter the compartment-specific microbial communities inhabiting rust-infected poplars

Elevated ozone (O₃ ) can affect the susceptivity of plants to rust pathogens. However, the collective role of microbiomes involved in such interaction remains largely elusive. We exposed two cultivated poplar clones exhibiting differential O₃ sensitivities, to non-filtered ambient air (NF), NF + 40 ppb or NF + 60 ppb O₃ -enriched air in field open-top chambers and then inoculated Melampsora larici-populina urediniospores to study their response to rust infection and to investigate how microbiomes inhabiting four compartments (phyllosphere, rhizosphere, root endosphere, bulk soil) are involved in this response. We found that hosts with higher O₃ sensitivity had significantly lower rust severity than hosts with lower sensitivity. Furthermore, the effect of increased O₃ on the diversity and composition of microbial communities was highly dependent on poplar compartments, with the microbial network complexity patterns being completely opposite between the two clones. Notably, microbial source analysis estimated that phyllosphere fungal communities predominately derived from root endosphere and vice versa, suggesting a potential transmission mechanism between plant above- and below-ground systems. These promising results suggest that further investigations are needed to better understand the interactions of abiotic and biotic stresses on plant performance and the role of the microbiome in driving these changes.

ABA-inducible DEEPER ROOTING 1 improves adaptation of maize to water deficiency

Root architecture remodelling is critical for forage moisture in water-limited soil. DEEPER ROOTING 1 (DRO1) in Oryza, Arabidopsis, and Prunus has been reported to improve drought avoidance by promoting roots to grow downward and acquire water from deeper soil. In the present study, we found that ZmDRO1 responded more strongly to abscisic acid (ABA)/drought induction in Zea mays ssp. mexicana, an ancestral species of cultivated maize, than in B73. It was proposed that this is one of the reasons why Zea mays ssp. mexicana has a more noticeable change in the downward direction angle of the root and fewer biomass penalties under water-deficient conditions. Thus, a robust, synthetic ABA/drought-inducible promoter was used to control the expression of ZmDRO1^B73 in Arabidopsis and cultivated maize for drought-resistant breeding. Interestingly, ABA-inducible ZmDRO1 promoted a larger downward root angle and improved grain yield by more than 40% under water-limited conditions. Collectively, these results revealed that different responses to ABA/drought induction of ZmDRO1 confer different drought avoidance abilities, and we demonstrated the application of ZmDRO1 via an ABA-inducible strategy to alter the root architecture of modern maize to improve drought adaptation in the field.

Enhanced Antioxidant Activity of Fresh Fruits through Salicylic Acid/β-CD Hydroalcoholic Gels

Oxidation is an important cause of fruit spoilage, and therefore improving the antioxidant capacity of fresh fruits is beneficial to their preservation. Herein, fresh-cut bananas were used as a type of fresh fruit and soaked in 75% hydroalcoholic gels containing salicylic acid (SA) or SA/β-CD inclusion complex (SA/β-CD). After treatment, they were placed in an atmosphere at 85% relative humidity at 20 °C for 12 days. A significant reduction in spoilage in bananas treated with the hydroalcoholic gels in the presence of SA/β-CD was observed, compared with those treated with gels in the presence or absence of SA. The free-radical-scavenging performances of SA and its complex were investigated using the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazil) method. Based on the results, the significant increase in antioxidant activity was attributed to the fact that the inclusion complex could break the intramolecular hydrogen bonding of SA, thus efficiently eliminating ROS in the fruits. The formation of the inclusion complex was confirmed by experiments and theoretical calculations. Our findings indicate that treatment with SA/β-CD can provide an efficient method of maintaining postharvest quality and extending the shelf life of bananas.

Increasing yield on dry fields: molecular pathways with growing potential

Drought stress constitutes one of the major constraints to agriculture all over the world, and its devastating effect is only expected to increase in the following years due to climate change. Concurrently, the increasing food demand in a steadily growing population requires a proportional increase in yield and crop production. In the past, research aimed to increase plant resilience to severe drought stress. However, this often resulted in stunted growth and reduced yield under favorable conditions or moderate drought. Nowadays, drought tolerance research aims to maintain plant growth and yield under drought conditions. Overall, recently deployed strategies to engineer drought tolerance in the lab can be classified into a 'growth-centered' strategy, which focuses on keeping growth unaffected by the drought stress, and a 'drought resilience without growth penalty' strategy, in which the main aim is still to boost drought resilience, while limiting the side effects on plant growth. In this review, we put the scope on these two strategies and some molecular players that were successfully engineered to generate drought-tolerant plants: abscisic acid, brassinosteroids, cytokinins, ethylene, ROS scavenging genes, strigolactones, and aquaporins. We discuss how these pathways participate in growth and stress response regulation under drought. Finally, we present an overview of the current insights and future perspectives in the development of new strategies to improve drought tolerance in the field.

DcCCD4 catalyzes the degradation of α-carotene and β-carotene to affect carotenoid accumulation and taproot color in carrot

Carotenoids are important natural pigments that give bright colors to plants. The difference in the accumulation of carotenoids is one of the key factors in the formation of various colors in carrot taproots. Carotenoid cleavage dioxygenases (CCDs), including CCD and 9-cis epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase, are the main enzymes involved in the cleavage of carotenoids in plants. Seven CCD genes have been annotated from the carrot genome. In this study, through expression analysis, we found that the expression level of DcCCD4 was significantly higher in the taproot of white carrot (low carotenoid content) than orange carrot (high carotenoid content). The overexpression of DcCCD4 in orange carrots caused the taproot color to be pale yellow, and the contents of α- and β-carotene decreased sharply. Mutant carrot with loss of DcCCD4 function exhibited yellow color (the taproot of the control carrot was white). The accumulation of β-carotene was also detected in taproot. Functional analysis of the DcCCD4 enzyme in vitro showed that it was able to cleave α- and β-carotene at the 9, 10 (9', 10') double bonds. In addition, the number of colored chromoplasts in the taproot cells of transgenic carrots overexpressing DcCCD4 was significantly reduced compared with that in normal orange carrots. Results showed that DcCCD4 affects the accumulation of carotenoids through cleavage of α- and β-carotene in carrot taproot.

Salicylic acid: A key regulator of redox signalling and plant immunity

In plants, the reactive oxygen species (ROS) formed during normal conditions are essential in regulating several processes, like stomatal physiology, pathogen immunity and developmental signaling. However, biotic and abiotic stresses can cause ROS over-accumulation leading to oxidative stress. Therefore, a suitable equilibrium is vital for redox homeostasis in plants, and there have been major advances in this research arena. Salicylic acid (SA) is known as a chief regulator of ROS; however, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. SA plays an important role in establishing the hypersensitive response (HR) and systemic acquired resistance (SAR). This is underpinned by a robust and complex network of SA with Non-Expressor of Pathogenesis Related protein-1 (NPR1), ROS, calcium ions (Ca²⁺), nitric oxide (NO) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in the regulation of ROS and antioxidant defense system signalling by SA at the physiological and molecular levels. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of how SA controls redox homeostasis would provide a fundamental framework to develop approaches that will improve plant growth and fitness, in order to meet the increasing global demand for food and bioenergy.

Effect of low temperature and high humidity stress on physiology of cucumber at different leaf stages

Low temperature (LT) and high humidity (HH) are important environmental factors in greenhouses and plastic tunnels during the cold season, as they hamper plant growth and development. Here, we studied the effect of LT (day/night: 9/5 °C, 25/18 °C as control) and HH (95%, 80% as control) on young cucumber plants at the 2, 4 or 6 leaf stages. LT+HH stress resulted in a decline in shoot, root and total fresh and dry weights, and decreased P_n , g_s , T_r , F_v /F_m , qP, ETR and chlorophyll, and increased MDA, H₂ O₂ , O₂ ^- , NPQ and C_i as compared to the control at the 2 leaf stage. SOD, POD, CAT, APX and GR were upregulated under LT+HH stress as compared to the control at the 6 leaf stage. ABA and JA increased under LT+HH stress as compared to the control at the 6 leaf stage, while IAA and GA decreased under LT+HH stress as compared to the control at the 2 leaf stage. Our results show that LT+HH stress affects young cucumber plant photosynthetic efficiency, PSII activity, antioxidant defence system, ROS and hormone profile. Plants at the 6 leaf stage were more tolerant than at the 2 and 4 leaf stages under stress conditions.

Growth-defense trade-offs and yield loss in plants with engineered cell walls

As a major component of plant secondary cell walls, lignin provides structural integrity and rigidity, and contributes to primary defense by providing a physical barrier to pathogen ingress. Genetic modification of lignin biosynthesis has been adopted to reduce the recalcitrance of lignified cell walls to improve biofuel production, tree pulping properties and forage digestibility. However, lignin-modification is often, but unpredictably, associated with dwarf phenotypes. Hypotheses suggested to explain this include: collapsed vessels leading to defects in water and solute transport; accumulation of molecule(s) that are inhibitory to plant growth or deficiency of metabolites that are critical for plant growth; activation of defense pathways linked to cell wall integrity sensing. However, there is still no commonly accepted underlying mechanism for the growth defects. Here, we discuss recent data on transcriptional reprogramming in plants with modified lignin content and their corresponding suppressor mutants, and evaluate growth-defense trade-offs as a factor underlying the growth phenotypes. New approaches will be necessary to estimate how gross changes in transcriptional reprogramming may quantitatively affect growth. Better understanding of the basis for yield drag following cell wall engineering is important for the biotechnological exploitation of plants as factories for fuels and chemicals.

Strategies for severe drought survival and recovery in a Pyrenean relict species

In the context of future climate change new habitats will be threatened and unique species will be forced to develop different strategies to survive. Saxifraga longifolia Lapeyr. is an endemic species from the Pyrenees with a very particular habitat. We explored the capacity and strategies of S. longifolia plants to face different severities of drought stress under both natural conditions and controlled water stress followed by a re-watering period of 20 days. Our results showed a role for abscisic acid (ABA), salicylic acid (SA) and cytokinins (CKs) in plant survival from drought stress, and as the stress increased, ABA lost significance and SA appeared to be more associated with the response mechanisms. Moreover, photo-oxidative stress markers revealed that both xanthophyll cycles played a photoprotection role with a stronger participation of the lutein epoxide cycle as the stress was more intense. Severe drought decreased the maximum efficiency of photosystem II (F_v /F_m ) below 0.45, being this the limit to survive upon rewatering. Overall, our results proved different strategies of S. longifolia plants to cope with drought stress and suggested a F_v /F_m threshold to predict plant survival in high-mountain environments.

Genetic control of root anatomical plasticity in maize

Root anatomical phenes have important roles in soil resource capture and plant performance; however, their phenotypic plasticity and genetic architecture is poorly understood. We hypothesized that (a) the responses of root anatomical phenes to water deficit (stress plasticity) and different environmental conditions (environmental plasticity) are genetically controlled and (b) stress and environmental plasticity are associated with different genetic loci than those controlling the expression of phenes under water-stress and well-watered conditions. Root anatomy was phenotyped in a large maize (Zea mays L.) association panel in the field with and without water deficit stress in Arizona and without water deficit stress in South Africa. Anatomical phenes displayed stress and environmental plasticity; many phenotypic responses to water deficit were adaptive, and the magnitude of response varied by genotype. We identified 57 candidate genes associated with stress and environmental plasticity and 64 candidate genes associated with phenes under well-watered and water-stress conditions in Arizona and under well-watered conditions in South Africa. Four candidate genes co-localized between plasticity groups or for phenes expressed under each condition. The genetic architecture of phenotypic plasticity is highly quantitative, and many distinct genes control plasticity in response to water deficit and different environments, which poses a challenge for breeding programs.

Effects of Salicylic Acid on the Metabolism of Mitochondrial Reactive Oxygen Species in Plants

Different abiotic and biotic stresses lead to the production and accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in various cell organelles such as in mitochondria, resulting in oxidative stress, inducing defense responses or programmed cell death (PCD) in plants. In response to oxidative stress, cells activate various cytoprotective responses, enhancing the antioxidant system, increasing the activity of alternative oxidase and degrading the oxidized proteins. Oxidative stress responses are orchestrated by several phytohormones such as salicylic acid (SA). The biomolecule SA is a key regulator in mitochondria-mediated defense signaling and PCD, but the mode of its action is not known in full detail. In this review, the current knowledge on the multifaceted role of SA in mitochondrial ROS metabolism is summarized to gain a better understanding of SA-regulated processes at the subcellular level in plant defense responses.

Genetic regulatory networks for salt-alkali stress in Gossypium hirsutum with differing morphological characteristics

Background

Cotton grows in altering environments that are often unfavorable or stressful for its growth and development. Consequently, the plant must cope with abiotic stresses such as soil salinity, drought, and excessive temperatures. Alkali-salt stress response remains a cumbersome biological process and is regulated via a multifaceted transcriptional regulatory network in cotton.

Results

To discover the molecular mechanisms of alkali-salt stress response in cotton, a comprehensive transcriptome analysis was carried out after alkali-salt stress treatment in three accessions of Gossypium hirsutum with contrasting phenotype. Expression level analysis proved that alkali-salt stress response presented significant stage-specific and tissue-specific. GO enrichment analysis typically suggested that signal transduction process involved in salt-alkali stress response at SS3 and SS12 stages in leaf; carbohydrate metabolic process and oxidation-reduction process involved in SS48 stages in leaf; the oxidation-reduction process involved at all three phases in the root. The Co-expression analysis suggested a potential GhSOS3/GhCBL10-SOS2 network was involved in salt-alkali stress response. Furthermore, Salt-alkali sensitivity was increased in GhSOS3 and GhCBL10 Virus-induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) plants.

Conclusion

The findings may facilitate to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of alkali-salt stress response and provide an available resource to scrutinize the role of candidate genes and signaling pathway governing alkali-salt stress response.

Tolerance to ozone might impose restrictions to plant disease management in tomato

Tropospheric ozone (O₃ ) is considered a major air pollutant having negative effects on plant growth and productivity. Background concentrations are expected to rise in several regions of the world in the next 50 years, affecting plant responses to diseases, thus requiring new management strategies for food production. The effects of elevated O₃ on the severity of a bacterial disease, and the effectiveness of a chemical defence inducer, were examined in two cultivars of tomato, Roma and Moneymaker, which present different tolerance to this pollutant. The two cultivars differ in their ability to produce and accumulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) in leaf tissues. Tomato plants were challenged with a strain of Xanthomonas vesicatoria, Xv9, which is pathogenic on tomato. Ozone consistently increased severity of the disease by over 40% in both cultivars. In the more tolerant cultivar, O₃ pollution increased disease intensity, even after applying a commercially available product to enhance resistance (acibenzolar-S-methyl, BTH). In the more susceptible cultivar, level of disease attained depended on the oxidative balance that resulted from other stress factors. The antioxidant capacity of the plant at the time of infection was relevant for controlling development of the disease. Our results suggest that development of O₃ tolerance in commercial crops might impose a penalty cost in terms of disease management under projected higher O₃ concentrations.

Proteomic Changes during MCMV Infection Revealed by iTRAQ Quantitative Proteomic Analysis in Maize

Maize chlorotic mottle virus (MCMV) has been occurring frequently worldwide and causes severe yield losses in maize (Zea mays). To better investigate the destructive effects of MCMV infection on maize plants, isobaric tagging for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ)-based comparative proteomic analysis was performed on MCMV infected maize cv. B73. A total of 972 differentially abundant proteins (DAPs), including 661 proteins with increased abundance and 311 proteins with reduced abundance, were identified in response to MCMV infection. Functional annotations of DAPs and measurement of photosynthetic activity revealed that photosynthesis was decreased, while the abundance of ribosomal proteins, proteins related to stress responses, oxidation-reduction and redox homeostasis was altered significantly during MCMV infection. Two DAPs, disulfide isomerases like protein ZmPDIL-1 and peroxiredoxin family protein ZmPrx5, were further analyzed for their roles during MCMV infection through cucumber mosaic virus-based virus-induced gene silencing (CMV-VIGS). The accumulation of MCMV was suppressed in ZmPDIL-1-silenced or ZmPrx5-silenced B73 maize, suggesting ZmPDIL-1 and ZmPrx5 might enhance host susceptibility to MCMV infection.

Gene pyramids and the balancing act of keeping pests at bay

This article comments on: Kamphuis LG, Klingler JP, Jacques S, Gao L-l, Edwards OR, Singh KB. 2019. Additive and epistatic interactions between AKR and AIN loci conferring bluegreen aphid resistance and hypersensitivity in Medicago truncatula. Journal of Experimental Botany 70, 4887-4902.

Salicylic Acid Affects Root Meristem Patterning via Auxin Distribution in a Concentration-Dependent Manner

The phytohormone salicylic acid (SA) is well known for its induction of pathogenesis-related proteins and systemic acquired resistance; SA also has specific effects on plant growth and development. Here we analyzed the effect of SA on Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) root development. We show that exogenous SA treatment at low (below 50 µM) and high (greater than 50 µM) concentrations affect root meristem development in two different PR1-independent ways. Low-concentration SA promoted adventitious roots and altered architecture of the root apical meristem, whereas high-concentration SA inhibited all growth processes in the root. All exposures to exogenous SA led to changes in auxin synthesis and transport. A wide range of SA treatment concentrations activated auxin synthesis, but the effect of SA on auxin transport was dose dependent. Mathematical modeling of auxin synthesis and transport predicted auxin accumulation or depletion in the root tip following low- or high-concentration SA treatments, respectively. SA-induced auxin accumulation led to the formation of more layers of columella initials, an additional cortical cell layer (middle cortex), and extra files of epidermis, cortex, and endodermis cells. Suppression of SHORT ROOT and activation of CYCLIN D6;1 mediated the changes in radial architecture of the root. We propose that low-concentration SA plays an important role in shaping root meristem structure and root system architecture.

New Insights of Salicylic Acid Into Stamen Abortion of Female Flowers in Tung Tree (Vernicia fordii)

Tung tree (Vernicia fordii), an economically important woody oil plant, is a monoecious and diclinous species with male and female flowers on the same inflorescence. The extremely low proportion of female flowers leads to low fruit yield in tung orchards. The female flower normally develops along with stamen abortion; otherwise sterile ovules will be produced. However, little knowledge is known about the molecular basis of the female flower development in tung tree. In this study, integrated analyses of morphological and cytological observations, endogenous phytohormone assay and RNA-seq were conducted to understand the molecular mechanism of the female flower development in tung tree. Cytological observation suggested that the abortion of stamens in female flowers (SFFs) belongs to the type of programmed cell death (PCD), which was caused by tapetum degeneration at microspore mother cell stage. A total of 1,366 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in female flowers by RNA-seq analysis, of which 279 (20.42%) DEGs were significantly enriched in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, phenylalanine metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, and plant hormone signal transduction. Stage-specific transcript identification detected dynamically expressed genes of important transcription regulators in female flowers that may be involved in PCD and floral organ development. Gene expression patterns revealed that 17 anther and pollen development genes and 37 PCD-related genes might be involved in the abortion of SFF. Further analyses of phytohormone levels and co-expression networks suggested that salicylic acid (SA) accumulation could trigger PCD and inhibit the development of SFF in tung tree. This study provides new insights into the role of SA in regulating the abortion of SFF to develop normal female flowers.

Effects of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic Acid on Cucumber Fruit Development and Metabolism

The auxin-like compound 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) has been widely used as a plant growth regulator in cucumber fruit production; however, its influence on fruit development and metabolism has not been evaluated. In this study, the phenotype of cucumber fruits in both 2,4-D treatment and non-treatment control groups were recorded, and the metabolome of different segments of cucumber fruit at various sampling time points were profiled by a standardized non-targeted metabolomics method based on UPLC-qTOF-MS. The application of 2,4-D increased the early growth rate of the fruit length but had no significant effect on the final fruit length, and produced cucumber fruits with fresh flowers at the top. The 2,4-D treatment also affected the cucumber fruit metabolome, causing significant changes in the stylar end at 4 days after flowering (DAF). The significantly changed metabolites were mainly involved in methionine metabolism, the citric acid cycle and flavonoid metabolism pathways. At the harvest stage, 2,4⁻D treatment significantly decreased the levels of flavonoids and cinnamic acid derivatives while increased the levels of some of the amino acids. In summary, exogenous application of 2,4-D can greatly alter the phenotype and metabolism of cucumber fruit. These findings will assist in exploring the mechanisms of how 2,4-D treatment changes the fruit phenotype and evaluating the influence of 2,4-D treatment on the nutritional qualities of cucumber fruit.

Plant defense against virus diseases; growth hormones in highlights

Phytohormones are critical in various aspects of plant biology such as growth regulations and defense strategies against pathogens. Plant-virus interactions retard plant growth through rapid alterations in phytohormones and their signaling pathways. Recent research findings show evidence of how viruses impact upon modulation of various phytohormones affecting plant growth regulations. The opinion is getting stronger that virus-mediated phytohormone disruption and alteration weaken plant defense strategies through enhanced replication and systemic spread of viral particles. These hormones regulate plant-virus interactions in various ways that may involve antagonism and cross talk to modulate small RNA (sRNA) systems. The article aims to highlight the recent research findings elaborating the impact of viruses upon manipulation of phytohormones and virus biology.

Prolonged dark period modulates the oxidative burst and enzymatic antioxidant systems in the leaves of salicylic acid-treated tomato

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important plant growth regulator playing a role in the hypersensitive reaction (HR) and the induction of systemic acquired resistance. Since the SA-mediated signalling pathways and the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are light-dependent, the time- and concentration-specific induction of oxidative stress was investigated in leaves of tomato plants kept under light and dark conditions after treatments with 0.1mM and 1mM SA. The application of exogenous SA induced early superoxide- and H₂O₂ production in the leaves, which was different in the absence or presence of light and showed time- and concentration-dependent changes. 1mM SA, which induced HR-like cell death resulted in two peaks in the H₂O₂ production in the light but the first, priming peak was not detected in the dark. Unlike 0.1mM SA, 1mM SA application induced NADPH oxidase activity leading to increased superoxide production in the first hours of SA treatments in the light. Moreover, SA treatments inhibited catalase (CAT) activity and caused a transient decline in ascorbate peroxidase (APX), the two main enzymes responsible for H₂O₂ degradation, which led to a fast H₂O₂ burst in the light. Their activity as well as the expression of some isoenzymes of SOD and APX increased only from the 12th h in the illuminated samples. The activity of NADPH oxidase and expression SlRBOH1 gene encoding a NADPH oxidase subunit was much lower in the dark. In spite of low CAT and APX activity after SA treatments in the dark, the activation of guaiacol-dependent peroxidase (POD) could partially substitute H₂O₂ scavenging activity of these enzymes in the dark, which reduced the ROS burst and development of lesion formation in the leaves.

Stress Marker Signatures in Lesion Mimic Single and Double Mutants Identify a Crucial Leaf Age-Dependent Salicylic Acid Related Defense Signal

Plants are exposed to abiotic and biotic stress conditions throughout their lifespans that activates various defense programs. Programmed cell death (PCD) is an extreme defense strategy the plant uses to manage unfavorable environments as well as during developmentally induced senescence. Here we investigated the role of leaf age on the regulation of defense gene expression in Arabidopsis thaliana. Two lesion mimic mutants with misregulated cell death, catalase2 (cat2) and defense no death1 (dnd1) were used together with several double mutants to dissect signaling pathways regulating defense gene expression associated with cell death and leaf age. PCD marker genes showed leaf age dependent expression, with the highest expression in old leaves. The salicylic acid (SA) biosynthesis mutant salicylic acid induction deficient2 (sid2) had reduced expression of PCD marker genes in the cat2 sid2 double mutant demonstrating the importance of SA biosynthesis in regulation of defense gene expression. While the auxin- and jasmonic acid (JA)- insensitive auxin resistant1 (axr1) double mutant cat2 axr1 also led to decreased expression of PCD markers; the expression of several marker genes for SA signaling (ISOCHORISMATE SYNTHASE 1, PR1 and PR2) were additionally decreased in cat2 axr1 compared to cat2. The reduced expression of these SA markers genes in cat2 axr1 implicates AXR1 as a regulator of SA signaling in addition to its known role in auxin and JA signaling. Overall, the current study reinforces the important role of SA signaling in regulation of leaf age-related transcript signatures.

Tomato progeny inherit resistance to the nematode Meloidogyne javanica linked to plant growth induced by the biocontrol fungus Trichoderma atroviride

Root-knot nematodes (RKN) are major crop pathogens worldwide. Trichoderma genus fungi are recognized biocontrol agents and a direct activity of Trichoderma atroviride (Ta) against the RKN Meloidogyne javanica (Mj), in terms of 42% reduction of number of galls (NG), 60% of number of egg masses and 90% of number of adult nematodes inside the roots, has been observed in tomato grown under greenhouse conditions. An in vivo split-root designed experiment served to demonstrate that Ta induces systemic resistance towards Mj, without the need for the organisms to be in direct contact, and significantly reduces NG (20%) and adult nematodes inside tomato roots (87%). The first generation (F1) of Ta-primed tomato plants inherited resistance to RKN; although, the induction of defenses occurred through different mechanisms, and in varying degrees, depending on the Ta-Mj interaction. Plant growth promotion induced by Ta was inherited without compromising the level of resistance to Mj, as the progeny of Ta-primed plants displayed increased size and resistance to Mj without fitness costs. Gene expression results from the defense inductions in the offspring of Ta-primed plants, suggested that an auxin-induced reactive oxygen species production promoted by Ta may act as a major defense strategy during plant growth.

Spreading the news: subcellular and organellar reactive oxygen species production and signalling

As plants are sessile organisms that have to attune their physiology and morphology continuously to varying environmental challenges in order to survive and reproduce, they have evolved complex and integrated environment-cell, cell-cell, and cell-organelle signalling circuits that regulate and trigger the required adjustments (such as alteration of gene expression). Although reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential components of this network, their pathways are not yet completely unravelled. In addition to the intrinsic chemical properties that define the array of interaction partners, mobility, and stability, ROS signalling specificity is obtained via the spatiotemporal control of production and scavenging at different organellar and subcellular locations (e.g. chloroplasts, mitochondria, peroxisomes, and apoplast). Furthermore, these cellular compartments may crosstalk to relay and further fine-tune the ROS message. Hence, plant cells might locally and systemically react upon environmental or developmental challenges by generating spatiotemporally controlled dosages of certain ROS types, each with specific chemical properties and interaction targets, that are influenced by interorganellar communication and by the subcellular location and distribution of the involved organelles, to trigger the suitable acclimation responses in association with other well-established cellular signalling components (e.g. reactive nitrogen species, phytohormones, and calcium ions). Further characterization of this comprehensive ROS signalling matrix may result in the identification of new targets and key regulators of ROS signalling, which might be excellent candidates for engineering or breeding stress-tolerant plants.

Venus flytrap carnivorous lifestyle builds on herbivore defense strategies

Although the concept of botanical carnivory has been known since Darwin's time, the molecular mechanisms that allow animal feeding remain unknown, primarily due to a complete lack of genomic information. Here, we show that the transcriptomic landscape of the Dionaea trap is dramatically shifted toward signal transduction and nutrient transport upon insect feeding, with touch hormone signaling and protein secretion prevailing. At the same time, a massive induction of general defense responses is accompanied by the repression of cell death-related genes/processes. We hypothesize that the carnivory syndrome of Dionaea evolved by exaptation of ancient defense pathways, replacing cell death with nutrient acquisition.

Determinants of timing and amplitude in the plant general stress response

Plants have evolved intricate signaling cascades to rapidly and effectively respond to biotic and abiotic challenges. The precise timing of these responses enables optimal resource reallocation to maintain the balance between stress adaptation and growth. Thus, an in-depth understanding of the immediate and long-term mechanisms regulating resource allocation is critical in deciphering how plants withstand environmental challenges. To date however, understanding of this tradeoff has focused on the amplitude of long-term responses, rather than the timing of rapid stress responses. This review presents current knowledge on kinetics of secondary messengers involved in regulation of rapid and general stress responses, followed by rapid stress responsive transduction machinery, and finally the transcriptional response of a functional general stress responsive cis-element. Within this context we discuss the role of timing of initial peak activation and later oscillating peak responses, and explore hormonal and stress signaling crosstalk confounding greater understanding of these cascades.

Reactive Oxygen Species Generation-Scavenging and Signaling during Plant-Arbuscular Mycorrhizal and Piriformospora indica Interaction under Stress Condition

A defined balance between the generation and scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS) is essential to utilize ROS as an adaptive defense response of plants under biotic and abiotic stress conditions. Moreover, ROS are not only a major determinant of stress response but also act as signaling molecule that regulates various cellular processes including plant-microbe interaction. In particular, rhizosphere constitutes the biologically dynamic zone for plant-microbe interactions which forms a mutual link leading to reciprocal signaling in both the partners. Among plant-microbe interactions, symbiotic associations of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and arbuscular mycorrhizal-like fungus especially Piriformospora indica with plants are well known to improve plant growth by alleviating the stress-impacts and consequently enhance the plant fitness. AMF and P. indica colonization mainly enhances ROS-metabolism, maintains ROS-homeostasis, and thereby averts higher ROS-level accrued inhibition in plant cellular processes and plant growth and survival under stressful environments. This article summarizes the major outcomes of the recent reports on the ROS-generation, scavenging and signaling in biotic-abiotic stressed plants with AMF and P. indica colonization. Overall, a detailed exploration of ROS-signature kinetics during plant-AMF/P. indica interaction can help in designing innovative strategies for improving plant health and productivity under stress conditions.

Evaluation of a SUMO E2 Conjugating Enzyme Involved in Resistance to Clavibacter michiganensis Subsp. michiganensis in Solanum peruvianum, Through a Tomato Mottle Virus VIGS Assay

Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis (Cmm) causes bacterial wilt and canker of tomato. Currently, no Solanum lycopersicum resistant varieties are commercially available, but some degree of Cmm resistance has been identified in Solanum peruvianum. Previous research showed up-regulation of a SUMO E2 conjugating enzyme (SCEI) transcript in S. peruvianum compared to S. lycopersicum following infection with Cmm. In order to test the role of SCEI in resistance to Cmm, a fragment of SCEI from S. peruvianum was cloned into a novel virus-induced gene-silencing (VIGS) vector based on the geminivirus, Tomato Mottle Virus (ToMoV). Using biolistic inoculation, the ToMoV-based VIGS vector was shown to be effective in S. peruvianum by silencing the magnesium chelatase gene, resulting in leaf bleaching. VIGS with the ToMoV_SCEI construct resulted in ~61% silencing of SCEI in leaves of S. peruvianum as determined by quantitative RT-PCR. The SCEI-silenced plants showed unilateral wilting (15 dpi) and subsequent death (20 dpi) of the entire plant after Cmm inoculation, whereas the empty vector-treated plants only showed wilting in the Cmm-inoculated leaf. The SCEI-silenced plants showed higher Cmm colonization and an average of 4.5 times more damaged tissue compared to the empty vector control plants. SCEI appears to play an important role in the innate immunity of S. peruvianum against Cmm, perhaps through the regulation of transcription factors, leading to expression of proteins involved in salicylic acid-dependent defense responses.

Roles of Defense Hormones in the Regulation of Ozone-Induced Changes in Gene Expression and Cell Death

Apoplast, the diffusional space between plant cell plasma membranes, is an important medium for signaling within and between the cells. Apoplastic reactive oxygen species (ROS) are crucial signaling molecules in various biological processes. ROS signaling is interconnected with the response to several hormones, including jasmonic acid (JA), salicylic acid (SA) and ethylene. Using ozone (O3) to activate apoplastic ROS signaling, we performed global and targeted analysis of transcriptional changes and cell death assays to dissect the contribution of hormone signaling and various transcription factors (TFs) in the regulation of gene expression and cell death. The contributions of SA, JA, and ethylene were assessed through analysis of single, double, and triple mutants deficient in biosynthesis or signaling for all three hormones. Even in the triple mutant, the global gene expression responses to O3 were mostly similar to the wild-type. Cell death in the JA receptor mutant coi1-16 was suppressed by impairment of the NADPH oxidase RBOHF, suggesting a role for a ROS signal in limiting the spread of cell death. In response to apoplastic ROS, there is not a single signaling pathway that regulates gene expression or cell death. Instead, several pathways regulate the apoplastic ROS response via combinatorial or overlapping mechanisms.

Integration of photosynthesis, development and stress as an opportunity for plant biology

With the tremendous progress of the past decades, molecular plant science is becoming more unified than ever. We now have the exciting opportunity to further connect subdisciplines and understand plants as whole organisms, as will be required to efficiently utilize them in natural and agricultural systems to meet human needs. The subfields of photosynthesis, plant developmental biology and plant stress are used as examples to discuss how plant science can become better integrated. The challenges, strategies and rich opportunities for the integration of the plant sciences are discussed. In recent years, more and more overlap between various subdisciplines has been inadvertently discovered including tradeoffs that may occur in plants engineered for biotechnological applications. Already important, bioinformatics and computational modelling will become even more central to structuring and understanding the ever growing amounts of data. The process of integrating and overlapping fields in plant biology research is advancing, but plant science will benefit from dedicating more effort and urgency to reach across its boundaries.

A genetic framework for H2O2 induced cell death in Arabidopsis thaliana

BACKGROUND

To survive in a changing environment plants constantly monitor their surroundings. In response to several stresses and during photorespiration plants use reactive oxygen species as signaling molecules. The Arabidopsis thaliana catalase2 (cat2) mutant lacks a peroxisomal catalase and under photorespiratory conditions accumulates H2O2, which leads to activation of cell death.

METHODS

A cat2 double mutant collection was generated through crossing and scored for cell death in different assays. Selected double mutants were further analyzed for photosynthetic performance and H2O2 accumulation.

RESULTS

We used a targeted mutant analysis with more than 50 cat2 double mutants to investigate the role of stress hormones and other defense regulators in H2O2-mediated cell death. Several transcription factors (AS1, MYB30, MYC2, WRKY70), cell death regulators (RCD1, DND1) and hormone regulators (AXR1, ERA1, SID2, EDS1, SGT1b) were essential for execution of cell death in cat2. Genetic loci required for cell death in cat2 was compared with regulators of cell death in spontaneous lesion mimic mutants and led to the identification of a core set of plant cell death regulators. Analysis of gene expression data from cat2 and plants undergoing cell death revealed similar gene expression profiles, further supporting the existence of a common program for regulation of plant cell death.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results provide a genetic framework for further study on the role of H2O2 in regulation of cell death. The hormones salicylic acid, jasmonic acid and auxin, as well as their interaction, are crucial determinants of cell death regulation.

Phytohormones enabled endophytic fungal symbiosis improve aluminum phytoextraction in tolerant Solanum lycopersicum: An examples of Penicillium janthinellum LK5 and comparison with exogenous GA3

This work investigates the potentials of fungal-endophyte Penicillium janthinellum LK5 (PjLK5) and its inherent gibberellic acid (GA3) as reference to enhance aluminum (Al) induced toxicity in tolerant tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants. Initial screening showed significantly higher uptake of Al by PjLK5. Aluminum stress (100 μM) significantly retarted plant growth in control plants. Conversely PjLK5 and GA3 application significantly increased morphological attributes of Al-tolerant tomato plants with or without Al-stress. PjLK5 inoculation with and without Al-stress maintained the plant growth whilst extracting and translocating higher Al in shoot (∼ 1 92 mg/kg) and root (∼ 296 mg/kg). This was almost similar in GA3 treatments as well. In addition, PjLK5 inoculation extended protective effects to tomato plants by maintaining reduced cellular superoxide anions in Al stress. Al-induced oxidative stress was further reduced due to significantly higher activity of metal-responsive reduced glutathione. The functional membrane was less damaged in PjLK5 and GA3 treatments because the plants synthesized reduced levels of malondialdhyde, lenolenic and linoleic acids. Defense-related endogenous phytohormone salicylic acid was significantly up-regulated to counteract the adverse effects of Al-stress. In conclusion, the PjLK5 possess a similar bio-prospective potential as of GA3. Application of such biochemically active endophyte could increase metal phytoextraction whilst maintaining crop physiological homeostasis.

Quantitative trait loci mapping and transcriptome analysis reveal candidate genes regulating the response to ozone in Arabidopsis thaliana

As multifaceted molecules, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to accumulate in response to various stresses. Ozone (O3 ) is an air pollutant with detrimental effect on plants and O3 can also be used as a tool to study the role of ROS in signalling. Genetic variation of O3 sensitivity in different Arabidopsis accessions highlights the complex genetic architecture of plant responses to ROS. To investigate the genetic basis of O3 sensitivity, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population between two Arabidopsis accessions with distinct O3 sensitivity, C24 (O3 tolerant) and Te (O3 sensitive) was used for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping. Through analysis of QTL mapping combined with transcriptome changes in response to O3 , we identified three causal QTLs and several potential candidate genes regulating the response to O3 . Based on gene expression data, water loss and stomatal conductance measurement, we found that a combination of relatively low stomatal conductance and constitutive activation of salicylic acid (SA)-mediated defence signalling were responsible for the O3 tolerance in C24. Application of exogenous SA prior to O3 exposure can mimic the constitutive SA signalling in C24 and could attenuate O3 -induced leaf damage in the sensitive Arabidopsis accessions Te and Cvi-0.

Salicylic acid-induced abiotic stress tolerance and underlying mechanisms in plants

Abiotic stresses (such as metals/metalloids, salinity, ozone, UV-B radiation, extreme temperatures, and drought) are among the most challenging threats to agricultural system and economic yield of crop plants. These stresses (in isolation and/or combination) induce numerous adverse effects in plants, impair biochemical/physiological and molecular processes, and eventually cause severe reductions in plant growth, development and overall productivity. Phytohormones have been recognized as a strong tool for sustainably alleviating adverse effects of abiotic stresses in crop plants. In particular, the significance of salicylic acid (SA) has been increasingly recognized in improved plant abiotic stress-tolerance via SA-mediated control of major plant-metabolic processes. However, the basic biochemical/physiological and molecular mechanisms that potentially underpin SA-induced plant-tolerance to major abiotic stresses remain least discussed. Based on recent reports, this paper: (a) overviews historical background and biosynthesis of SA under both optimal and stressful environments in plants; (b) critically appraises the role of SA in plants exposed to major abiotic stresses;

Identification of multiple salicylic acid-binding proteins using two high throughput screens

Salicylic acid (SA) is an important hormone involved in many diverse plant processes, including floral induction, stomatal closure, seed germination, adventitious root initiation, and thermogenesis. It also plays critical functions during responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. The role(s) of SA in signaling disease resistance is by far the best studied process, although it is still only partially understood. To obtain insights into how SA carries out its varied functions, particularly in activating disease resistance, two new high throughput screens were developed to identify novel SA-binding proteins (SABPs). The first utilized crosslinking of the photo-reactive SA analog 4-AzidoSA (4AzSA) to proteins in an Arabidopsis leaf extract, followed by immuno-selection with anti-SA antibodies and then mass spectroscopy-based identification. The second utilized photo-affinity crosslinking of 4AzSA to proteins on a protein microarray (PMA) followed by detection with anti-SA antibodies. To determine whether the candidate SABPs (cSABPs) obtained from these screens were true SABPs, recombinantly-produced proteins were generated and tested for SA-inhibitable crosslinking to 4AzSA, which was monitored by immuno-blot analysis, SA-inhibitable binding of the SA derivative 3-aminoethylSA (3AESA), which was detected by a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay, or SA-inhibitable binding of [(3)H]SA, which was detected by size exclusion chromatography. Based on our criteria that true SABPs must exhibit SA-binding activity in at least two of these assays, nine new SABPs are identified here; nine others were previously reported. Approximately 80 cSABPs await further assessment. In addition, the conflicting reports on whether NPR1 is an SABP were addressed by showing that it bound SA in all three of the above assays.