Orphan proteins are taxonomically restricted proteins that frequently evolve lineage-specific biological functions, yet many remain functionally uncharacterized. QUA-QUINE STARCH (QQS) is a 59-amino-acid orphan protein unique to Arabidopsis thaliana that has been implicated in carbon–nitrogen allocation, starch metabolism, pathogen defense, and pollen development. Our recent work further demonstrated that recombinant QQS possesses broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. In the present study, we investigated whether this multifunctional plant protein also modulates host inflammatory responses associated with Gram-negative bacterial infection. Recombinant AtQQS exhibited minimal cytotoxicity toward RAW264.7 macrophages while significantly reducing lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses. Far-UV circular dichroism analysis indicated subtle conformational changes of AtQQS in the presence of LPS, suggesting a possible association-related response to bacterial endotoxin. Flow cytometric analysis further showed that AtQQS reduced macrophage-associated FITC-labeled LPS in a concentration-dependent manner. Consistent with these observations, AtQQS markedly attenuated intracellular reactive oxygen species generation, nitric oxide production, and secretion of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1β following LPS stimulation. Moreover, AtQQS decreased the GFP-positive macrophage population following exposure to GFP-expressing Escherichia coli. These findings broaden the known biological functions of QQS by identifying a previously unrecognized anti-inflammatory activity in addition to its established physiological and antimicrobial functions. The present work supports further investigation of AtQQS as an example of a plant orphan protein with unexpected biological activity.
The foxglove aphid (FA; Aulacorthum solani) is an important soybean pest that causes substantial yield losses. Although the strong FA resistance loci Raso1 and Raso2 have been identified in soybean, the genetic basis of moderate resistance remains unclear. Here, we mapped a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) for moderate FA resistance using 129 F₂:F₈ recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between the susceptible cultivar Daepung and the moderately resistant accession PI 230977. Under no-choice assays, PI 230977 showed significantly lower aphid survival index (SI) and plant leaf damage (PLD) than Daepung, and the RIL population exhibited continuous variation for both traits, consistent with quantitative resistance. A stable major-effect QTL on chromosome 13, located between 28.6 and 31.4 Mb, explained up to 46
Tomato genotypes developed for high-density field production may not retain the same advantages in multilayer vertical farming. To identify traits required for adaptation to this system, we compared CRISPR-Cas9-generated Sweet100 sp sp5g sler triple-determinate (Triple-D) plants with Micro-Tom under open-field and vertical farming conditions. Triple-D produced more fruits than Micro-Tom in the open field, whereas this pattern was reversed under vertical farming. Micro-Tom showed a more spatially compatible shoot architecture, a higher fruit set ratio, greater fruit yield, and a higher harvest index. By contrast, Triple-D exceeded the available cultivation height and produced fewer fruits despite generating more inflorescences and flowers, identifying shoot elongation and inefficient flower-to-fruit conversion as major constraints on productivity. Nevertheless, Triple-D fruits exhibited greater firmness and higher total carotenoid and β-carotene contents. These findings show that traits advantageous for high-density field production are not necessarily optimal for multilayer vertical farming. Further restricting shoot elongation and improving fruit set while retaining the reproductive potential and fruit-quality traits of Triple-D may provide a practical strategy for developing tomato ideotypes optimized for multilayer vertical farming.
Tillering is an important component of maize plant architecture, with potential effects on resource allocation and yield. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying tillering remain incompletely understood, highlighting the need for further studies using diverse accessions with contrasting tillering phenotypes. In this study, we characterized genetic and phenotypic variation between breeding lines and landraces and evaluated tiller number over three years in a diverse maize panel. We observed that the landraces generally exhibited higher tiller numbers than the breeding lines. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were subsequently conducted to identify robust association signals by integrating phenotypic data from three years, best linear unbiased predictions (BLUPs), and best linear unbiased estimates (BLUEs), together with SNP datasets with different marker densities. As a result, we identified three genomic regions consistently supported across datasets and phenotypic estimates and prioritized three candidate genes, Zm00001eb370220, Zm00001eb114070, and Zm00001eb122740, which were annotated as two BSD transcription factors and a HY5-like basic leucine zipper transcription factor, respectively. These candidate genes may contribute to the regulation of tiller bud outgrowth through processes associated with gibberellin-related growth and light-responsive signaling. Overall, this study identifies candidate genes potentially involved in maize tillering, demonstrates contrasting genotype distributions between landraces and breeding lines, and provides evidence that genetic factors beyond the canonical tb1 pathway may contribute to variation in maize tillering.
Transient expression systems have been utilized for their cost and time efficiency in crop genetics. Among them, agroinfiltration is a widely used transient expression method, but antioxidants and surfactants with optimal experimental conditions for achieving sufficient transformation efficiency vary by crop species and tissues. In this study, the upper aerial parts and cotyledonary node explants of soybean were agroinfiltrated to develop and optimize a transient expression system in soybean. Histochemical GUS assays on vacuum‑agroinfiltrated soybean leaves treated with different concentrations of the surfactant Silwet L‑77 showed that 0.02
