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Item Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of chickpea U-box E3 ligases identifies CaPUB4 and CaPUB16 as candidate responsive genes for abiotic stress tolerance(Springer Nature Publishing AG, 2026) Fernandes, Nithya; Unnati, G. Meher; Bhattacharjee, Surjit; Pandey, Ashutosh; Mishra, NeelamU-box E3 ubiquitin ligases play a crucial role in post-translational protein modification, stress signaling, and cellular adaptation in plants. In this study, 38 non-redundant CaPUB genes were identified from the chickpea (Cicer arietinum) genome and characterized for their phylogenetic relationships, domain architecture, gene structures, and expression profiles. Synteny and gene ontology analyses revealed evolutionary conservation with Lotus japonicus and Arabidopsis thaliana, and functional involvement in processes such as ubiquitination, signaling, and stress responses. RNA sequencing and qPCR analyses demonstrated distinct tissue-specific expression patterns. Specifically, CaPUB14 and CaPUB2 were predominantly expressed in particular organs, whereas CaPUB4 and CaPUB16 were upregulated under drought and salt stress in the stress-tolerant ICC4958 cultivar. Functional interaction network analysis revealed that CaPUB4 and CaPUB16 proteins interact with an identical set of partner proteins, supporting the hypothesis that these ligases may function collaboratively in stress adaptation. Collectively, these findings provide insights into the diversity, expression patterns, and potential regulatory roles of the CaPUB gene family, highlighting promising candidate genes for future functional characterization and their possible utility in improving crop stress resilience.Item Differential regulation of nitric oxide mediated by phytoglobin1 plays a role in resistance during Botrytis cinerea infection in Arabidopsis thaliana(Springer Nature Publishing AG, 2026) Jaiswal, Rekha; Saini, Deepak; Swain, Jagannath; Gupta, Kapuganti JagadisBotrytis cinerea is a prominent necrotrophic pathogen responsible for gray mold disease, affecting a wide range of plant species, including economically vital crops such as tomatoes, grapes, strawberries, etc. Nitric oxide (NO) is considered as a crucial player in plant responses to biotic stress. NO homeostasis is regulated by phytoglobin (Pgb1), a potential scavenger of NO. However, the role of the Pgb1-NO cycle in regulating defense response against B. cinerea remains largely unknown. In the current study, we investigated the defense response of Arabidopsis thaliana against B. cinerea infection using antisense (Pgb1 AS) and overexpression (Pgb1 OE) lines, which produce differential levels of NO. The Pgb1 AS line accumulated higher NO levels and conferred resistance against B. cinerea infection, with reduced ROS levels, reduced cell death, and increased stomatal closure. Conversely, Pgb1 OE showed reduced NO levels accompanied by increased susceptibility. The elevated NO level in Pgb1 AS was associated with increased nitrate reductase (NR) activity and upregulation of NIA1 and NIA2 gene expression. Interestingly, ethylene-mediated defense pathway genes such as ERF1, ACS2, and ACS6 were upregulated while pathogen-related genes such as PR1, PR2, PR5, and NPR1 were downregulated in Pgb1 AS line. The elevated expression of ethylene genes corresponded with the higher ethylene levels in Pgb1 AS. Overall, our results confirmed the crucial role of phytoglobin-modulated NO in defense against B. cinerea infection by activating the ethylene-mediated defense pathway.Item Temperature regulation of cell cycle and growth dynamics in Arabidopsis(Portland Press, 2026) Sundaravadivelu, Vasundara; Raipuria, Ritesh Kumar; Ranjan, AashishThe plant cell cycle is a highly coordinated and regulated process that integrates endogenous and environmental signals to control cell division, meristem maintenance, and cell fate specification for growth and development. Temperature is a critical environmental signal that regulates the cell cycle to manifest developmental plasticity in Arabidopsis roots and shoots. Arabidopsis plants exhibit either adaptive growth responses or arrested growth, depending on the temperature regime. The temperature-mediated growth dynamics in Arabidopsis involve altered cell-cycle regulation. While plant developmental and physiological responses to temperature have been extensively studied, the integration of temperature signalling cues with cell-cycle dynamics to regulate growth adaptation remains poorly understood. The present review not only compiles existing information on temperature-mediated regulation of cell-cycle dynamics but also provides a perspective on multidisciplinary approaches to investigate cell-cycle dynamics at spatiotemporal resolution in Arabidopsis adaptive growth responses.Item Rs_MEP1 is required for the pathogenesis of Rhizoctonia solani AG1-IA in plants(The American Phytopathological Society (APS), 2026) Pradhan, Amrita; Sahoo, Debashis; Bhati, Vikrant; Kumar, Rahul; Yadav, Rajni; Ghosh, Srayan; Pawar, Prashant Anupama-Mohan; Jha, GopaljeeRhizoctonia solani AGI-IA is a polyphagous necrotrophic fungal pathogen that causes sheath blight disease in rice. Efforts are being made to identify pathogenicity-associated genes in R. solani and modulate them to develop a disease control strategy. Here, we investigate the roles of some predicted pathogenicity-associated genes of R. solani that have previously been reported to be upregulated during infection in rice. The tobacco rattle virus-based host-induced gene silencing of the selected pathogenicity-associated genes revealed that silencing of Rs_MEP1, a zinc-containing Peptidase_M43 domain-metalloprotease, severely compromises R. solani infection in tomato. Moreover, double-stranded RNA-mediated silencing of Rs_MEP1 prevented R. solani infection in rice. The signal sequence trap assay indicated the secretory nature of Rs_MEP1, while the reporter assay suggested its localization in the plant apoplast. Notably, agrobacterium-mediated transient overexpression of Rs_MEP1 induces necrotic cell death responses in plants. We provide evidence that Rs_MEP1 interacts with GH19 family of rice chitinases and potentially modulates their functions. Overall, our study emphasizes that Rs_MEP1 facilitates R. solani in promoting necrotic responses and targets rice GH19 chitinases to impart disease susceptibility in plants.Item Integrated assessment of in vitro regeneration, ISSR-Based genetic fidelity, and antifungal properties in Holmskioldia sanguinea(Springer Nature Publishing AG, 2026) Gouda, Triveni; Pandey, Ashutosh; Mishra, NeelamHolmskioldia sanguinea is valued for its ornamental appeal and traditional medicinal uses for treating rheumatism, dysentery, headaches, hypertension, ulcers, and gynecological disorders, but propagation challenges limit wider cultivation and conservation efforts. To overcome the limitations associated with conventional propagation methods, an effective in vitro regeneration protocol was established using nodal explants. Following surface sterilization, explants were cultured on half strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with varying concentrations of plant growth regulators for shoot bud initiation and multiplication. The best response was observed with 1.0 mg L−1 BA (Benzyladenine) particularly when combined 0.5 mg L−1 2,4-D (2,4- Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid) Shoot formation was evident within 2 to 3 wk, and rooting was successfully achieved in two wk after transferring the explant with initiated shoots on half strength MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg L−1 IBA (Indolebutyric acid). Acclimatization involved a two-phase hardening process, beginning with a gradual reduction in external nutrients and followed by transfer to sterile peat moss + sand (2:1, v/v) potting mix, resulting in an impressive 98% survival rate of regenerated plantlets within 8 to 10 wk. The genetic fidelity of regenerants was evaluated using ISSR amplification with ten primers, out of which 6 primers yielded consistent and reproducible monomorphic profiles across wild-type and in vitro derived samples, demonstrating the absence of somaclonal variation and confirming genetic fidelity. In addition to micropropagation and ISSR-based genetic fidelity assessment, the antifungal potential of H. sanguinea was also evaluated. The methanolic leaf extract demonstrated the highest antifungal activity, inhibiting mycelial growth of tested fungi by 98%, indicating its strong potential as a natural antifungal agent. This study established a robust and scalable tissue culture regeneration protocol for H. sanguinea, supporting its conservation and offering opportunities for pharmaceutical applications as a source of natural antifungal compounds.Item Rice PROTEIN L-ISOASPARTYL METHYLTRANSFERASES provides tolerance against sheath blight disease and repairs ALDH and PBZ1(Nature Publishing Group, 2026) Gautam, Shikha; Kamble, Nitin Uttam; Achary, Rakesh Kumar; Chandan, Ravindra Kumar; Varshney, Vishal; Hazra, Abhijit; Laha, Saroj; Mahawar, Shivangi; Mehandiratta, Sohela; Singh, Sarvanand; Jha, Gopaljee; Majee, ManojProtein L-isoaspartyl methyltransferase (PIMT) regulates key seed traits and abiotic stress tolerance in plants by repairing isoaspartyl (isoAsp) damaged proteins. However, whether PIMT-mediated repair is induced and is required during biotic stress tolerance remains unknown. Using rice lines with OsPIMT overexpression, RNAi-mediated suppression, and genome editing, we show that PIMT enhances tolerance to sheath blight (ShB) caused by Rhizoctonia solani. OsPIMT restricts fungal penetration and colonization of rice sheaths. Co-immunoprecipitation coupled with LC-MS/MS identify various proteins including antioxidant proteins, aldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH) and pathogenesis-related protein 10 (PBZ1), that undergo isoAsp modification during R. solani infection and interact with PIMT. We show that OsALDH and OsPBZ1 exhibit intrinsic antifungal activity against R. solani, but isoAsp modification impairs their activity, making PIMT mediated repair important. Further, OsALDH enhances tolerance to R. solani by inhibiting lipid peroxidation and ROS homeostasis in rice and fungus. Overall, our study reveals that PIMT enhances ShB tolerance through the repair of isoAsp-damaged proteins important for disease tolerance.Item Nitric oxide-mediated modulation of photorespiratory enzymes and photochemical components in leaves of pea plants (Pisum sativum)(John Wiley & Sons, 2026) Saini, Deepak; Bharath, Pulimamidi; Gahir, Shashibhushan; Pandey, Jayendra; Vemula, Chandra Kaladhar; Gupta, Kapuganti Jagadis; Subramanyam, Rajagopal; Raghavendra, Agepati SThe photorespiratory metabolism safeguards photosynthesis against abiotic and biotic stress. Nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels rise in plants during abiotic stress. Low concentrations of NO or ROS are beneficial as signalling molecules, but they can be toxic to plant cells at high concentrations. ROS are known to modulate photorespiration; however, it is unclear whether NO affects photorespiratory enzymes and photochemical components simultaneously. We therefore used sodium nitroprusside (SNP) under dark, moderate light (ML), or high light (HL) conditions to simultaneously investigate its impact on photorespiratory enzymes and photochemical components. The NO levels were increased upon SNP exposure in Pisum sativum leaves, particularly under HL conditions. The NO release in leaves was confirmed when the NO scavenger cPTIO (2-(4-Carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl-3-oxide potassium salt) was present, since it decreased the majority of elevated NO. The nitrosative/oxidative stress in Pisum sativum leaves was confirmed by the increase in nitrosothiols and tyrosine-nitrated proteins, as well as reduced aconitase activity after SNP exposure at HL. The protein levels, mRNA levels, and the enzyme activities of the following four photorespiratory enzymes: glycolate oxidase (GO), hydroxypyruvate reductase (HPR), glycerate kinase (GK), and phosphoglycolate phosphatase (PGLP) were markedly increased under elevated NO conditions. Catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) also showed increased activity, elevated protein and transcript levels upon exposure to SNP. Parallel studies on chlorophyll a fluorescence confirmed that NO restricted electron transport at both PSII and PSI, inhibited photosynthesis and respiration, and damaged photosynthetic pigments. We concluded from this study that NO at high concentrations upregulated photorespiratory enzymes while inhibiting photochemical components such as photosystem II and I (PSII/PSI) simultaneously.Item Molecular intricacies of modulating seed dormancy through CRISPR/Cas9 technology(Oxford University Press, 2026) Gautam, Shikha; Kamble, Nitin Uttam; Majee, ManojThe processes of seed development, maturation, and dormancy acquisition are complex and tightly regulated, and play a critical role in plant survival and propagation. Over the past decades, significant advances have been made in elucidating the molecular mechanisms that govern these intricate processes. The interplay among hormone signaling, epigenetic regulation, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and environmental cues has been recognized as central to determining seed fate. Despite these advancements, many molecular components remain to be fully discovered. Recent developments in CRISPR-based gene-editing technologies have provided promising tools for the precise regulation of seed dormancy without compromising other seed traits. Although CRISPR has been effectively utilized to modify genes controlling physiological characteristics in a wide range of crops, its application in regulating dormancy remains at an early stage. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the molecular and genetic mechanisms controlling seed maturation, dormancy acquisition and germination, with particular emphasis on emerging CRISPR-based strategies. Realizing this potential, however, requires a deeper understanding of the complex regulatory networks orchestrating seed dormancy acquisition and germination. Identifying optimal gene targets and refining editing strategies will be crucial for developing reliable and sustainable dormancy-control systems. Therefore, we highlight key gene targets, summarize their functional relevance, and discuss how genome editing could be leveraged to fine-tune dormancy and germination behaviour. The studies discussed herein underscore the transformative potential of CRISPR/Cas9 and related genome-editing platforms in advancing seed biology and crop improvement, paving the way for next-generation seed technologies.Item Evaluation of the parameters affecting agrobacterium-mediated transformation process to produce cold stress-tolerant tomato by targeting Solanum lycopersicumC-repeat binding factor 2 gene(Springer Nature Publishing AG, 2026) Halder, Koushik; Chaudhuri, Abira; Abdin, Malik Z.; Datta, AsisC-repeat binding factors (CBFs) are a part of the AP2/ERF superfamily of transcription factors, which are known to regulate gene expression under different abiotic stress conditions, especially cold. In this study, when tomato cultivar Pusa Ruby (PR) was subjected to cold stress at 4 °C for 24 h, SlCBF2, along with SlCBF1, was found to be simultaneously induced at the early hours (3rd to 24th) of cold exposure. Similar simultaneous induction observed in another tomato variety, Arka Rakshak (AR), at the 3rd hour post-cold exposure. This brief yet strong simultaneous induction of both SlCBF1 and SlCBF2 provides a new insight into the initial induction of CBFs in cold-stressed tomato, which was not previously reported in PR or AR. To elucidate the SlCBF2-mediated cold response in tomato, we have developed stable overexpression lines that showed better cold tolerance than the wild-type PR. We have also evaluated and optimized two important parameters in the Agrobacterium-mediated transformation process and reported an improved transformation efficiency of 28.33% using 1 mg/L zeatin alone and 25% using a combination of 2 mg/L BAP and 0.1 mg/L IAA. Considering the varying degree of transformation efficiency in PR, this optimization will surely be of interest to future researchers to generate stable tomato transgenic lines. However, further works such as generating stable mutant lines targeting SlCBF2 and studying how it reacts to cold-stress, whether SlCBF2 directly regulates SlCBF1 or other downstream cold-responsive genes would provide a more definitive framework for establishing SlCBF2 as an important cold-stress-related transcription factor in tomato.Item AtFusionDB: A comprehensive database of fusion transcripts in model plant Arabidopsis thaliana(Springer Nature Publishing AG, 2026) Shree, Tanu; Kumar, ShaileshFusion transcripts are chimeric RNAs, produced by the joining of two different RNAs at the RNA level or as a product of gene fusion at the DNA level. In this era of high-throughput sequencing technologies, it is easy to identify novel molecules like fusion transcripts in different systems. That's because, initially, supposed to be the well-known cancer biomarkers, fusion transcripts are also validated in normal human physiology. In Planta, discrete reports are available, indicating the presence of fusion transcripts but no dedicated web resource is available for the plant-specific fusion transcripts. This chapter describes the first plant-specific database of fusion transcripts, i.e., AtFusionDB ( http://www.nipgr.res.in/AtFusionDB ), which contains the information on fusion transcripts identified in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. This database can be exploited to get significant information about gene/transcript fusion in plants.