BLH3 Regulates the ABA Pathway and Lignin Synthesis Under Salt Stress in <i>Lilium pumilum</i>
BEL1-like homeodomain protein 3 (BLH3) plays a crucial role in plant development. However, its involvement in the salt stress response has not been studied. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the response of <i>LpBLH3</i> to salt stress in <i>Lilium p...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-06-01
|
| Series: | Plants |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/12/1860 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1839652935656538112 |
|---|---|
| author | Wenhao Wan Lingshu Zhang Xingyu Liu Huitao Cui Miaoxin Shi Hao Sun Wei Yang Xinran Wang Fengshan Yang Shumei Jin |
| author_facet | Wenhao Wan Lingshu Zhang Xingyu Liu Huitao Cui Miaoxin Shi Hao Sun Wei Yang Xinran Wang Fengshan Yang Shumei Jin |
| author_sort | Wenhao Wan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | BEL1-like homeodomain protein 3 (BLH3) plays a crucial role in plant development. However, its involvement in the salt stress response has not been studied. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the response of <i>LpBLH3</i> to salt stress in <i>Lilium pumilum</i> (<i>L. pumilum</i>) using various techniques, including quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), determination of physiological indices of plant after Saline-Alkali stress, yeast two-hybrid screening, luciferase complementation imaging (LCI), and chromosome walking to obtain the promoter sequence, analyzed by PlantCARE, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and then dual-luciferase reporter assay(LUC). RT-qPCR analysis revealed that <i>LpBLH3</i> is most highly expressed in the leaves of <i>L. pumilum</i>. The expression of <i>LpBLH3</i> peaks at 24 or 36 h in the leaves under different saline stress. Under various treatments, compared to the wild type (WT), the <i>LpBLH3</i> overexpression lines exhibited less chlorosis and leaf curling and stronger photosynthesis. The overexpression of <i>LpBLH3</i> can enhance lignin accumulation in root and stem by positively modulating the expression of crucial genes within the lignin biosynthesis pathway. Y2H and LCI analyses demonstrated that LpBLH3 interacts with LpKNAT3. Additionally, EMSA and LUC analyses confirmed that LpBLH3 can bind to the promoter of <i>LpABI5</i> and upregulate the expression of <i>ABI5</i> downstream genes (<i>LpCAT1</i>/<i>LpATEM</i>/<i>LpRD29B</i>). In summary, LpBLH3 enhances the plant’s salt tolerance through the ABA pathway and lignin synthesis. This study can enrich the functional network of the BLH transcription factor family, obtain <i>Lilium pumilum</i> lines with good saline-alkali resistance, expand the planting area of <i>Lilium pumilum</i>, and improve its medicinal and ornamental values. Additionally, the functional analysis of the BLH transcription factor family provides new insights into how crops adapt to the extreme growth environment of saline-alkali soils. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-1b5e6cb2ee1d4a8baaa5107bdeadc18f |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-1b5e6cb2ee1d4a8baaa5107bdeadc18f2025-06-25T14:20:15ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-06-011412186010.3390/plants14121860BLH3 Regulates the ABA Pathway and Lignin Synthesis Under Salt Stress in <i>Lilium pumilum</i>Wenhao Wan0Lingshu Zhang1Xingyu Liu2Huitao Cui3Miaoxin Shi4Hao Sun5Wei Yang6Xinran Wang7Fengshan Yang8Shumei Jin9Key Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150028, ChinaKey Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150028, ChinaKey Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150028, ChinaKey Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150028, ChinaKey Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150028, ChinaKey Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150028, ChinaHeilongjiang Agricultural Technology Extension Station, Harbin 150090, ChinaFaculty of Humanities, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, ChinaEngineering Research Center of Agricultural Microbiology Technology, Ministry of Education, Heilongjiang University, Harbin 150080, ChinaKey Laboratory of Saline-Alkali Vegetation Ecology Restoration, College of Life Sciences, Northeast Forestry University, Ministry of Education, Harbin 150028, ChinaBEL1-like homeodomain protein 3 (BLH3) plays a crucial role in plant development. However, its involvement in the salt stress response has not been studied. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism underlying the response of <i>LpBLH3</i> to salt stress in <i>Lilium pumilum</i> (<i>L. pumilum</i>) using various techniques, including quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), determination of physiological indices of plant after Saline-Alkali stress, yeast two-hybrid screening, luciferase complementation imaging (LCI), and chromosome walking to obtain the promoter sequence, analyzed by PlantCARE, electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and then dual-luciferase reporter assay(LUC). RT-qPCR analysis revealed that <i>LpBLH3</i> is most highly expressed in the leaves of <i>L. pumilum</i>. The expression of <i>LpBLH3</i> peaks at 24 or 36 h in the leaves under different saline stress. Under various treatments, compared to the wild type (WT), the <i>LpBLH3</i> overexpression lines exhibited less chlorosis and leaf curling and stronger photosynthesis. The overexpression of <i>LpBLH3</i> can enhance lignin accumulation in root and stem by positively modulating the expression of crucial genes within the lignin biosynthesis pathway. Y2H and LCI analyses demonstrated that LpBLH3 interacts with LpKNAT3. Additionally, EMSA and LUC analyses confirmed that LpBLH3 can bind to the promoter of <i>LpABI5</i> and upregulate the expression of <i>ABI5</i> downstream genes (<i>LpCAT1</i>/<i>LpATEM</i>/<i>LpRD29B</i>). In summary, LpBLH3 enhances the plant’s salt tolerance through the ABA pathway and lignin synthesis. This study can enrich the functional network of the BLH transcription factor family, obtain <i>Lilium pumilum</i> lines with good saline-alkali resistance, expand the planting area of <i>Lilium pumilum</i>, and improve its medicinal and ornamental values. Additionally, the functional analysis of the BLH transcription factor family provides new insights into how crops adapt to the extreme growth environment of saline-alkali soils.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/12/1860ABA pathway<i>BLH3</i><i>Lilium pumilum</i>lignin contentsalt stress |
| spellingShingle | Wenhao Wan Lingshu Zhang Xingyu Liu Huitao Cui Miaoxin Shi Hao Sun Wei Yang Xinran Wang Fengshan Yang Shumei Jin BLH3 Regulates the ABA Pathway and Lignin Synthesis Under Salt Stress in <i>Lilium pumilum</i> Plants ABA pathway <i>BLH3</i> <i>Lilium pumilum</i> lignin content salt stress |
| title | BLH3 Regulates the ABA Pathway and Lignin Synthesis Under Salt Stress in <i>Lilium pumilum</i> |
| title_full | BLH3 Regulates the ABA Pathway and Lignin Synthesis Under Salt Stress in <i>Lilium pumilum</i> |
| title_fullStr | BLH3 Regulates the ABA Pathway and Lignin Synthesis Under Salt Stress in <i>Lilium pumilum</i> |
| title_full_unstemmed | BLH3 Regulates the ABA Pathway and Lignin Synthesis Under Salt Stress in <i>Lilium pumilum</i> |
| title_short | BLH3 Regulates the ABA Pathway and Lignin Synthesis Under Salt Stress in <i>Lilium pumilum</i> |
| title_sort | blh3 regulates the aba pathway and lignin synthesis under salt stress in i lilium pumilum i |
| topic | ABA pathway <i>BLH3</i> <i>Lilium pumilum</i> lignin content salt stress |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/12/1860 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT wenhaowan blh3regulatestheabapathwayandligninsynthesisundersaltstressinililiumpumilumi AT lingshuzhang blh3regulatestheabapathwayandligninsynthesisundersaltstressinililiumpumilumi AT xingyuliu blh3regulatestheabapathwayandligninsynthesisundersaltstressinililiumpumilumi AT huitaocui blh3regulatestheabapathwayandligninsynthesisundersaltstressinililiumpumilumi AT miaoxinshi blh3regulatestheabapathwayandligninsynthesisundersaltstressinililiumpumilumi AT haosun blh3regulatestheabapathwayandligninsynthesisundersaltstressinililiumpumilumi AT weiyang blh3regulatestheabapathwayandligninsynthesisundersaltstressinililiumpumilumi AT xinranwang blh3regulatestheabapathwayandligninsynthesisundersaltstressinililiumpumilumi AT fengshanyang blh3regulatestheabapathwayandligninsynthesisundersaltstressinililiumpumilumi AT shumeijin blh3regulatestheabapathwayandligninsynthesisundersaltstressinililiumpumilumi |