Jiajun Lei

Stamen petaloidy underlies double-flower formation in Clivia miniata , but its molecular basis remains poorly understood. We performed comparative transcriptome sequencing of flower buds and tepals from single-, semi-double-, and double-flowered C. miniata , assembling 127,524 unigenes and identifying 44,140 and 40,278 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the bud and tepal comparisons, respectively. DEGs were enriched primarily in metabolic processes and phytohormone signaling, including 209 hormone-related transcripts spanning auxin, gibberellin, jasmonic acid, and other pathways. MYB, WRKY, NAC, bHLH, and bZIP transcription factors, along with MIKC-type MADS-box genes, most notably the class B floral identity gene CmPI_1 , showed pronounced expression shifts across floral phenotypes. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified a blue module tightly linked to stamen petaloidy, encompassing hub transcription factors, the jasmonate signaling gene CmJAR1L , and CmPI_1 . qRT-PCR validated 13 core candidates whose expression tracked petaloidy severity, with CmPI_1 markedly upregulated in double-flowered buds. Together, these results point to a regulatory network linking phytohormone signaling, transcription factors, and floral identity genes, offering candidate genes for dissecting double-flower formation and guiding molecular breeding in C. miniata .

Introduction: Moderate leaf curling is a desirable trait in crop breeding and has attracted increasing research interest. A curled leaf ( cl ) mutant was obtained from a previously developed ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutant library of the strawberry Fragaria nilgerrensis ; however, the regulatory frameworks and interaction networks responsible for this phenotype remain largely undefined. Methods: Modifications in cell wall architecture and cellulose content, along with related biological features, were detected in the cl mutant. Transcriptomic RNA sequencing was performed to compare gene expression between the cl mutant and the wild type (WT). Functional verification was carried out through genetic manipulation. Yeast one- hybrid (Y1H), dual- luciferase (LUC), and β- glucuronidase (GUS) assays were used to test transcriptional regulation. Transient expression assays were also conducted to confirm the role of the identified regulator. Results: Transcriptomic analysis revealed substantial differential expression of fasciclin- like arabinogalactan ( FLA ) genes between the cl mutant and WT. Functional verification showed that FnFLA16 altered cellulose- associated biological properties, thereby promoting leaf curling. Subsequent correlation analyses and quantitative assays identified critical transcriptional regulators. FnWRKY17 was demonstrated to directly bind to the FnFLA16 promoter, as confirmed by Y1H, LUC, and GUS assays. Transient expression assays further confirmed that FnWRKY17 operates within the FnFLA16- cellulose regulatory framework controlling leaf curling. Conclusions: These findings reveal a previously unreported FnFLA16- centered working model underlying leaf curling in F. nilgerrensis . This study provides new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of leaf curling and identifies potential targets forbreeding programs.

Members of the Rosaceae family possess substantial economic and ornamental value, making their effective propagation and genetic improvement critical. Plant regeneration represents a foundational technology for efficient breeding, genetic transformation, functional genomics, molecular breeding, germplasm conservation, and large-scale commercial propagation. The regenerative capacity of explants in many Rosaceae taxa remains limited, despite significant progress. This review systematically synthesized conventional and emerging plant regeneration strategies and critically examined the principal biological and technical constraints affecting regenerative efficiency. A comprehensive comparison was first made among the various genera of the Rosaceae family regarding regeneration processes, environmental conditions, PGRs, exogenous additives, basal media, common obstacles and regeneration suggestions. The application of molecular biotechnology approaches in elucidating the mechanisms underlying regeneration and in enhancing regeneration capacity is also evaluated. Finally, this review assesses the future potential of these advanced technologies for improving regeneration systems in Rosaceae plants, providing a comprehensive reference framework for both academic research and industrial applications.

Leaf curling is an adaptation to drought stress in plants that has received extensive research attention. Previously, an ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) muta

Pink-flowered strawberry possesses significant ornamental value; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying its flower development remain poorly understood. In this study, an integrated multi-omics strategy—combining transcriptome, sRNAome, and degradome sequencing—was employed to analyze three key stages of petal coloration (young bud, coloration initiation, and big bud) in the pink-flowered strawberry cultivar 'Sijihong'. The present analysis revealed dynamic transcriptional reprogramming primarily governed by hormone-signaling transcription factors (TFs), among which ERFs (AIL1), and bHLHs (bHLH93-like) were identified as central regulatory components. Importantly, extensive post-transcriptional regulation was uncovered, which is mediated by 151 conserved, and 38 novel miRNAs, and contributes to petal development. Among these regulatory mechanisms, the repression of SPL transcription factors by FamiR156 and the triggering of phasiRNA production from the auxin receptor gene FvAFB2 by FvmiR393 are included. Additionally, 237 phasiRNA-producing loci (PHAS) were mapped, and these loci exhibit stage-specific expression patterns during floral maturation. This study delineates a hierarchical regulatory network that integrates transcriptional control, miRNA-guided silencing, and phasiRNA-mediated amplification to coordinate flower development, thereby offering valuable mechanistic insights and genetic resources for future horticultural improvement.

Clivia miniata Regel is a globally prized ornamental plant with significant economic value in China, as a traditional decoration during Lunar New Year celebrations. However, its natural anthesis time in the greenhouse often fails to coincide with the Spring Festival, thereby necessitating precise control over anthesis through a better understanding of its scape elongation mechanism. Phenological observations identified four key stages (flower bud stage, CM_F; inflorescence stage, CM_I; inflorescence emergence stage, CM_E; and scape stage, CM_S) before anthesis. Observations revealed progressive elongation of parenchyma cells in the developing scape. Hormone profiling across these stages was conducted to explore the hormonal regulation of this process, identifying 60 distinct hormones, 52 of which showed significant differential expression. Among these, auxins and gibberellins (GAs) emerged as primary regulators of both scape elongation and anthesis time. Building on these insights, exogenous hormone application experiments were performed with remarkable practical outcomes. All phytohormone treatments significantly accelerated anthesis. Specifically, applying 50 mg/L indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) resulted in complete inflorescence emergence with 100% efficiency and accelerated anthesis by 14 d. The application of 150 mg/L IAA resulted in complete inflorescence emergence with 90% efficiency and accelerated anthesis by 29 d. Moreover, the application of 150 mg/L GA₃ resulted in complete inflorescence emergence with 90% efficiency and accelerated the anthesis by 25 d. The application of 200 mg/L GA₃ resulted in complete inflorescence emergence with 80% efficiency and accelerated anthesis by 35 d, demonstrating unprecedented potential for manipulating anthesis timing. These findings elucidate the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying anthesis time in C. miniata.

Lilium lancifolium is a special wild triploid species native to China and can produce abundant bulbils on its stem under natural conditions, which is very valuable to study bulbil organogenesis in plants. Although similar to the lateral and tillering principles, the molecular mechanism underlying bulbil formation has remained incompletely understood. The metabolome and transcriptome of L. lancifolium bulbils across four development stages were analyzed. The pairwise comparison of metabolomes across the four stages identified 17 differential hormones, predominantly auxin (IAA), cytokinin (CK), and jasmonic acid (JA). Short Time-series Expression Miner (STEM) trend analysis of differential genes revealed four significant trends across these stages. The KEGG enrichment analysis of the four clusters highlighted pathways, such as plant hormone signal transduction, which were speculated to play a crucial role in development stages. these pathways were speculated to play a crucial role in development stages. To explore the key differential expressed genes and transcription factors associated with bulbil occurrence, two periods were focused on: Ll_UN and Ll_DN, which represented the stages with and without bulbils, respectively. Through correlation analysis and qRT-PCR analysis, 11 candidate differentially expressed genes and 27 candidate transcription factors were selected. By spraying exogenous hormones to validate these candidates, LlbHLH128, LlTIFY10A, LlbHLH93, and LlMYB108, were identified as the key genes for L. lancifolium bulbils. A regulatory network of L. lancifolium bulbil development was predicted. LlTIFY10A and LlbHLH93 might be involved in the JA and auxin signal transduction pathways, which jointly formed a regulatory network to affect the occurrence of L. lancifolium bulbil. This study not only provided more information about the differentially expressed genes and metabolites through transcriptome and metabolomics analyses, but also provided a clearer understanding of the effect of hormones on bulbil formation in lily.