Genome-wide investigation and expression analysis of OSCA gene family in response to abiotic stress in alfalfa

Alfalfa is an excellent leguminous forage crop that is widely cultivated worldwide, but its yield and quality are often affected by drought and soil salinization. Hyperosmolality-gated calcium-permeable channel (OSCA) proteins are hyperosmotic calcium ion (Ca2+) receptors that play an essential role in regulating plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. However, no systematic analysis of the OSCA gene family has been conducted in alfalfa. In this study, a total of 14 OSCA genes were identified from the alfalfa genome and classified into three groups based on their sequence composition and phylogenetic relationships. Gene structure, conserved motifs and functional domain prediction showed that all MsOSCA genes had the same functional domain DUF221. Cis-acting element analysis showed that MsOSCA genes had many cis-regulatory elements in response to abiotic or biotic stresses and hormones. Tissue expression pattern analysis demonstrated that the MsOSCA genes had tissue-specific expression; for example, MsOSCA12 was only expressed in roots and leaves but not in stem and petiole tissues. Furthermore, RT–qPCR results indicated that the expression of MsOSCA genes was induced by abiotic stress (drought and salt) and hormones (JA, SA, and ABA). In particular, the expression levels of MsOSCA3, MsOSCA5, MsOSCA12 and MsOSCA13 were significantly increased under drought and salt stress, and MsOSCA7, MsOSCA10, MsOSCA12 and MsOSCA13 genes exhibited significant upregulation under plant hormone treatments, indicating that these genes play a positive role in drought, salt and hormone responses. Subcellular localization results showed that the MsOSCA3 protein was localized on the plasma membrane. This study provides a basis for understanding the biological information and further functional analysis of the MsOSCA gene family and provides candidate genes for stress resistance breeding in alfalfa

Root Involvement in Plant Responses to Adverse Environmental Conditions

limate change is altering the environment in which plants grow and survive. An increase in worldwide Earth surface temperatures has been already observed, together with an increase in the intensity of other abiotic stress conditions such as water deficit, high salinity, heavy metal intoxication, etc., generating harmful conditions that destabilize agricultural systems. Stress conditions deeply affect physiological, metabolic and morphological traits of plant roots, essential organs for plant survival as they provide physical anchorage to the soil, water and nutrient uptake, mechanisms for stress avoidance, specific signals to the aerial part and to the biome in the soil, etc. However, most of the work performed until now has been mainly focused on aerial organs and tissues. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the effects of different abiotic stress conditions on root molecular and physiological responses. First, we revise the methods used to study these responses (omics and phenotyping techniques). Then, we will outline how environmental stress conditions trigger various signals in roots for allowing plant cells to sense and activate the adaptative responses. Later, we discuss on some of the main regulatory mechanisms controlling root adaptation to stress conditions, the interplay between hormonal regulatory pathways and the global changes on gene expression and protein homeostasis. We will present recent advances on how the root system integrates all these signals to generate different physiological responses, including changes in morphology, long distance signaling and root exudation. Finally, we will discuss the new prospects and challenges in this field

Molecular Aspects of Plant Salinity Stress and Tolerance

This book presents the advances in plant salinity stress and tolerance, including mechanistic insights revealed using powerful molecular tools and multi-omics and gene functions studied by genetic engineering and advanced biotechnological methods. Additionally, the use of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria in the improvement of plant salinity tolerance and the underlying mechanisms and progress in breeding for salinity-tolerant rice are comprehensively discussed. Clearly, the published data have contributed to the significant progress in expanding our knowledge in the field of plant salinity stress and the results are valuable in developing salinity-stress-tolerant crops; in benefiting their quality and productivity; and eventually, in supporting the sustainability of the world food supply