Eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF5A) is a highly conserved protein family unique to eukaryotes, yet its functional characterization in woody plants remains limited. In this study, we identified four eIF5A genes (PtoeIF5A1–PtoeIF5A4) from the genome of Populus tomentosa, a fast-growing tree species indigenous to China, and characterized their expression patterns and functional roles through bioinformatics analysis, quantitative real-time PCR, stable overexpression in Arabidopsis thaliana, and transient expression in Nicotiana benthamiana leaves. Our results demonstrated that all PtoeIF5A proteins contain a conserved OB-fold domain and multiple phosphorylation sites, with PtoeIF5A1 showing predominant expression in roots and secondary xylem. Functional assays revealed that PtoeIF5A1 overexpression accelerated inflorescence stem elongation and early flowering in Arabidopsis, induced visible chlorosis and programmed cell death (PCD) in tobacco leaves, and significantly enhanced salt tolerance under NaCl treatment. Collectively, these findings establish PtoeIF5A1 in poplar as a pleiotropic regulator integrating developmental cues, programmed cell death, and stress responses; and as a valuable genetic resource for breeding stress-resilient woody plants.
Dan Zhu, Y. Guan, Feng Feng et al.· Plants· 0 citations
Pennisetum sinese, a perennial grass central to “Juncao Technology,” holds considerable promise for non-grain biomass production and ecological restoration. Despite its agronomic value, the cytoplasmic genetic architecture of this species, particularly its mitochondrial genome, remains uncharacterized. Here, we present the first complete mitochondrial genome of the P. sinese assembled via hybrid long- and short-read sequencing. The genome adopts a multi-branched conformation spanning 405,186 bp with a GC content of 43.98%, and encodes 32 unique protein-coding genes, 20 tRNA genes, and three rRNA genes. We detected significant codon usage bias, abundant tandem repeats, and dispersed repeats. In addition, 24 chloroplast-derived homologous fragments totaling 13,053 bp were identified. Phylogenetic analysis confirms the placement of the P. sinese within the Poaceae clade, whereas synteny analysis reveals extensive structural rearrangements in its mitochondrial genome compared with closely related species. Furthermore, we predicted 454 C−to−U RNA editing sites. These findings establish a foundational genetic resource for P. sinese cytoplasmic inheritance and laying a foundation for future investigations into the molecular mechanisms underlying its high biomass yield and stress tolerance, informing future germplasm innovation.
Xiaobing Hu, Dan Zhu, Xin Ning et al.· Frontiers in Plant Science· 0 citations
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