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Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Plant Sciences".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2022) | Viewed by 26113

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Jiansheng Liang

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Department of Biology, School of Life Sciences, Southern University of Science and Technology, 1088 Xueyuan Avenue, Nanshan District, Shenzhen 518055, China
Interests: phytohormones; abiotic stresses; signal transduction; protein posttranslational modifications
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Due to environmental fluctuations, plants are often exposed to different sources of environmental stress throughout their lifespan, which imposes serious problems on their growth and development. The capacity of plants to modify themselves rapidly to meet the changing environmental conditions is critical for them to survive under conditions of environmental stress. Recent progress has shown that plants have evolved specific mechanisms at the molecular, cellular, and physiological levels that allow them to detect precise environmental changes and to respond to complex stress conditions. The purpose of this Special Issue is to focus on the recent progress achieved in plant stress biology. Topics include an up-to-date, in-depth coverage of abiotic stress in plants, in terms of physiological, biochemical, molecular and omics approaches, and the responses of plants to abiotic stress, as well as modern tools and techniques to alleviate abiotic stress on plants.

Prof. Dr. Jiansheng Liang
Guest Editor

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Keywords

abiotic stress
plant hormones
signal transduction
gene expression
crosstalk
omics approaches
epigenomics
protein post-translational modifications

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

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24 pages, 65102 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Interactions between Phosphorus and Light Intensity on Metabolite Compositions in Tea Cultivar Longjing43

by Santosh KC, Lizhi Long, Qunfeng Zhang, Kang Ni, Lifeng Ma and Jianyun Ruan

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(23), 15194; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms232315194 - 2 Dec 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2770

Abstract

Light intensity influences energy production by increasing photosynthetic carbon, while phosphorus plays an important role in forming the complex nucleic acid structure for the regulation of protein synthesis. These two factors contribute to gene expression, metabolism, and plant growth regulation. In particular, shading is an effective agronomic practice and is widely used to improve the quality of green tea. Genotypic differences between tea cultivars have been observed as a metabolic response to phosphorus deficiency. However, little is known about how the phosphorus supply mediates the effect of shading on metabolites and how plant cultivar gene expression affects green tea quality. We elucidated the responses of the green tea cultivar Longjing43 under three light intensity levels and two levels of phosphorus supply based on a metabolomic analysis by GC×GC-TOF/MS (Two-dimensional Gas Chromatography coupled to Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry) and UPLC-Q-TOF/MS (Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Quadrupole-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry), a targeted analysis by HPLC (High Performance Liquid Chromatography), and a gene expression analysis by qRT-PCR. In young shoots, the phosphorus concentration increased in line with the phosphate supply, and elevated light intensities were positively correlated with catechins, especially with epigallocatechin of Longjing43. Moreover, when the phosphorus concentration was sufficient, total amino acids in young shoots were enhanced by moderate shading which did not occur under phosphorus deprivation. By metabolomic analysis, phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis (PTT) were enriched due to light and phosphorus effects. Under shaded conditions, SPX2 (Pi transport, stress, sensing, and signaling), SWEET3 (bidirectional sugar transporter), AAP (amino acid permeases), and GSTb (glutathione S-transferase b) shared the same analogous correlations with primary and secondary metabolite pathways. Taken together, phosphorus status is a crucial factor when shading is applied to increase green tea quality. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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20 pages, 10326 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptomics Profiling of Acer pseudosieboldianum Molecular Mechanism against Freezing Stress

by Zhiming Han, Xiangzhu Xu, Shikai Zhang, Qiushuang Zhao, Hanxi Li, Ying Cui, Xiao Li, Liran Wang, Su Chen and Xiyang Zhao

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(23), 14676; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms232314676 - 24 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1192

Abstract

Low temperature is an important environmental factor that affects the growth and development of trees and leads to the introduction of failure in the genetic improvement of trees. Acer pseudosieboldianum is a tree species that is well-known for its bright red autumn leaf color. These trees are widely used in landscaping in northeast China. However, due to their poor cold resistance, introduced A. pseudosieboldianum trees suffer severe freezing injury in many introduced environments. To elucidate the physiological indicators and molecular mechanisms associated with freezing damage, we analyzed the physiological indicators and transcriptome of A. pseudosieboldianum, using kits and RNA-Seq technology. The mechanism of A. pseudosieboldianum in response to freezing stress is an important scientific question. In this study, we used the shoots of four-year-old A. pseudosieboldianum twig seedlings, and the physiological index and the transcriptome of A. pseudosieboldianum under low temperature stress were investigated. The results showed that more than 20,000 genes were detected in A. pseudosieboldianum under low temperature (4 °C) and freezing temperatures (−10 °C, −20 °C, −30 °C, and −40 °C). There were 2505, 6021, 5125, and 3191 differential genes (DEGs) between −10 °C, −20°C, −30°C, −40 °C, and CK (4 °C), respectively. Among these differential genes, 48 genes are involved in the MAPK pathway and 533 genes are involved in the glucose metabolism pathway. In addition, the important transcription factors (MYB, AP2/ERF, and WRKY) involved in freezing stress were activated under different degrees of freezing stress. A total of 10 sets of physiological indicators of A. pseudosieboldianum were examined, including the activities of five enzymes and the accumulation of five hormones. All of the physiological indicators except SOD and GSH-Px reached their maximum values at −30 °C. The enzyme activity of SOD was highest at −10 °C, and that of GSH-Px was highest at −20 °C. Our study is the first to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the differential genes (DEGs) involved in A. pseudosieboldianum under freezing stress at different temperatures at the transcriptome level. These results may help to clarify the molecular mechanism of cold tolerance of A. pseudosieboldianum and provide new insights and candidate genes for the genetic improvement of the freezing tolerance of A. pseudosieboldianum. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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16 pages, 8254 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of Tubby-like Protein (TLP) Gene Family Members in Woodland Strawberry (Fragaria vesca)

by Shuangtao Li, Guixia Wang, Linlin Chang, Rui Sun, Ruishuang Wu, Chuanfei Zhong, Yongshun Gao, Hongli Zhang, Lingzhi Wei, Yongqing Wei, Yuntao Zhang, Jing Dong and Jian Sun

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(19), 11961; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms231911961 - 8 Oct 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1743

Abstract

Tubby-like proteins (TLPs) play important roles in plant growth and development and in responses to abiotic stress. However, TLPs in strawberry remain poorly studied. In this study, eight TLPs were identified in woodland strawberry (Fragaria vesca subspecies vesca ‘Ruegen’). Protein structure analysis revealed that the structure of FvTLPs is highly conserved, but evolutionary and gene structure analyses revealed that the evolutionary pattern of FvTLP family members differs from that of their orthologous genes in Arabidopsis, poplar, and apple. Subcellular localization assays revealed that FvTLPs were localized to the nucleus and plasma membrane. FvTLPs showed no transcriptional activity. Yeast two-hybrid assays revealed that FvTLPs interact with specific FvSKP1s. The expression patterns of FvTLPs in different tissues and under various abiotic stresses (salt, drought, cold, and heat) and hormone treatments (ABA (abscisic acid) and MeJA (methyl jasmonate)) were determined. The expression patterns of FvTLPs indicated that they play a role in regulating growth and development and responses to abiotic stress in F. vesca. The GUS (beta-glucuronidase) activity of FvTLP1pro::GUS plants in GUS activity assays increased under salt and drought stress and abscisic acid treatment. The results of this study provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the functions of TLPs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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14 pages, 4107 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physiological and Transcriptome Analyses Revealed the Mechanism by Which Deferoxamine Promotes Iron Absorption in Cinnamomum camphora

by Wei-Liang Kong, Tong-Yue Wen, Ya-Hui Wang and Xiao-Qin Wu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(17), 9854; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23179854 - 30 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1466

Abstract

Iron deficiency causes chlorosis and growth inhibition in Cinnamomum camphora, an important landscaping tree species. Siderophores produced by plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria have been widely reported to play an indispensable role in plant iron nutrition. However, little to date has been determined about how microbial siderophores promote plant iron absorption. In this study, multidisciplinary approaches, including physiological, biochemical and transcriptome methods, were used to investigate the role of deferoxamine (DFO) in regulating Fe availability in C. camphora seedlings. Our results showed that DFO supplementation significantly increased the Fe²⁺ content, SPAD value and ferric-chelate reductase (FCR) activity in plants, suggesting its beneficial effect under Fe deficiency. This DFO-driven amelioration of Fe deficiency was further supported by the improvement of photosynthesis. Intriguingly, DFO treatment activated the metabolic pathway of glutathione (GSH) synthesis, and exogenous spraying reduced glutathione and also alleviated chlorosis in C. camphora. In addition, the expression of some Fe acquisition and transport-related genes, including CcbHLH, CcFRO6, CcIRT2, CcNramp5, CcOPT3 and CcVIT4, was significantly upregulated by DFO treatment. Collectively, our data demonstrated an effective, economical and feasible organic iron-complexing agent for iron-deficient camphor trees and provided new insights into the mechanism by which siderophores promote iron absorption in plants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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17 pages, 2624 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Transcriptome Dynamics Underlying Magnesium Deficiency Stress in Three Founding Saccharum Species

by Yongjun Wang, Yihan Li, Xiuting Hua, Zhe Zhang, Tianqu Fan, Wei Yao, Muqing Zhang and Jisen Zhang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(17), 9681; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23179681 - 26 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1705

Abstract

Modern sugarcane cultivars were generated through interspecific crossing of the stress resistance Saccharum spontaneum and the high sugar content Saccharum officinarum which was domesticated from Saccharum robustum. Magnesium deficiency (MGD) is particularly prominent in tropical and subtropical regions where sugarcane is grown, but the response mechanism to MGD in sugarcane remains unknown. Physiological and transcriptomic analysis of the three founding Saccharum species under different magnesium (Mg) levels was performed. Our result showed that MGD decreased chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency of three Saccharum species but led to increased starch in leaves and lignin content in roots of Saccharum robustum and Saccharum spontaneum. We identified 12,129, 11,306 and 12,178 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of Saccharum officinarum, Saccharum robustum and Saccharum spontaneum, respectively. In Saccharum officinarum, MGD affected signal transduction by up-regulating the expression of xylan biosynthesis process-related genes. Saccharum robustum, responded to the MGD by regulating the expression of transcription and detoxification process-related genes. Saccharum spontaneum, avoids damage from MGD by regulating the expression of the signing transduction process and the transformation from growth and development to reproductive development. This novel repertoire of candidate genes related to MGD response in sugarcane will be helpful for engineering MGD tolerant varieties. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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15 pages, 4643 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A C2-Domain Abscisic Acid-Related Gene, IbCAR1, Positively Enhances Salt Tolerance in Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.)

by Chang You, Chen Li, Meng Ma, Wei Tang, Meng Kou, Hui Yan, Weihan Song, Runfei Gao, Xin Wang, Yungang Zhang and Qiang Li

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(17), 9680; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23179680 - 26 Aug 2022

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1695

Abstract

Plant C2-domain abscisic acid-related (CAR) protein family plays an important role in plant growth, abiotic stress responses, and defense regulation. In this study, we cloned the IbCAR1 by homologous cloning method from the transcriptomic data of Xuzishu8, which is a sweet potato cultivar with dark-purple flesh. This gene was expressed in all tissues of sweet potato, with the highest expression level in leaf tissue, and it could be induced by NaCl and ABA. Subcellular localization analyses indicated that IbCAR1 was localized in the nucleus and plasma membrane. The PI staining experiment revealed the distinctive root cell membrane integrity of overexpressed transgenic lines upon salt stress. Salt stress significantly increased the contents of proline, ABA, and the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), whereas the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) was decreased in overexpressed lines. On the contrary, RNA interference plants showed sensitivity to salt stress. Overexpression of IbCAR1 in sweet potatoes could improve the salt tolerance of plants, while the RNAi of IbCAR1 significantly increased sensitivity to salt stress in sweet potatoes. Meanwhile, the genes involved in ABA biosynthesis, stress response, and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-scavenging system were upregulated in overexpressed lines under salt stress. Taken together, these results demonstrated that IbCAR1 plays a positive role in salt tolerance by relying on the ABA signal transduction pathway, activating the ROS-scavenging system in sweet potatoes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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13 pages, 5911 KiB

Open AccessArticle

OsASR6 Enhances Salt Stress Tolerance in Rice

by Qin Zhang, Yuqing Liu, Yingli Jiang, Aiqi Li, Beijiu Cheng and Jiandong Wu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(16), 9340; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23169340 - 19 Aug 2022

Cited by 17 | Viewed by 2840

Abstract

High salinity seriously affects crop growth and yield. Abscisic acid-, stress-, and ripening-induced (ASR) proteins play an important role in plant responses to multiple abiotic stresses. In this study, we identified a new salt-induced ASR gene in rice (OsASR6) and functionally characterized its role in mediating salt tolerance. Transcript levels of OsASR6 were upregulated under salinity stress, H₂O₂ and abscisic acid (ABA) treatments. Nuclear and cytoplasmic localization of the OsASR6 protein were confirmed. Meanwhile, a transactivation activity assay in yeast demonstrated no self-activation ability. Furthermore, transgenic rice plants overexpressing OsASR6 showed enhanced salt and oxidative stress tolerance as a result of reductions in H₂O₂, malondialdehyde (MDA), Na/K and relative electrolyte leakage. In contrast, OsASR6 RNAi transgenic lines showed opposite results. A higher ABA content was also measured in the OsASR6 overexpressing lines compared with the control. Moreover, OsNCED1, a key enzyme of ABA biosynthesis, was found to interact with OsASR6. Collectively, these results suggest that OsASR6 serves primarily as a functional protein, enhancing tolerance to salt stress, representing a candidate gene for genetic manipulation of new salinity-resistant lines in rice. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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23 pages, 4033 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of Root and Leaf Transcript Profiles Reveals the Coordinated Mechanisms in Response to Salinity Stress in Common Vetch

by Xiaoshan Lin, Qiuxia Wang, Xueyang Min, Wenxian Liu and Zhipeng Liu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(15), 8477; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23158477 - 30 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1821

Abstract

Owing to its strong environmental suitability to adverse abiotic stress conditions, common vetch (Vicia sativa) is grown worldwide for both forage and green manure purposes and is an important protein source for human consumption and livestock feed. The germination of common vetch seeds and growth of seedlings are severely affected by salinity stress, and the response of common vetch to salinity stress at the molecular level is still poorly understood. In this study, we report the first comparative transcriptomic analysis of the leaves and roots of common vetch under salinity stress. A total of 6361 differentially expressed genes were identified in leaves and roots. In the roots, the stress response was dominated by genes involved in peroxidase activity. However, the genes in leaves focused mainly on Ca²⁺ transport. Overexpression of six salinity-inducible transcription factors in yeast further confirmed their biological functions in the salinity stress response. Our study provides the most comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of common vetch leaf and root responses to salinity stress. Our findings broaden the knowledge of the common and distinct intrinsic molecular mechanisms within the leaves and roots of common vetch and could help to develop common vetch cultivars with high salinity tolerance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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16 pages, 4464 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Expression Analysis Related to Low-Temperature Stress of the CmGLP Gene Family in Cucumis melo L.

by Zhengda Zhang, Yongshuai Wen, Luqiao Yuan, Yuhui Zhang, Jingyi Liu, Fan Zhou, Qunning Wang and Xiaohui Hu

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(15), 8190; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23158190 - 25 Jul 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2091

Abstract

Germin-like protein (GLP) participates in plant growth and development and plays an important role in plant stress. In the present study, 22 CmGLPs belonging to five classes were identified in the melon genome. Each member of the CmGLPs family contains a typical Cupin_1 domain. We conducted a genome-wide analysis of the melon GLP gene family characterization. CmGLPs were randomly distributed in the melon chromosomes, with the largest number on chromosome 8, having eight family members. Gene duplication events drive the evolution and expansion of the melon GLP gene family. Based on the phylogenetic tree analysis of GLP proteins in melon, rice, Arabidopsis, and cucumber, it was found that the GLP gene families of different species have diverged in evolution. Based on qRT-PCR results, all members of the CmGLP gene family could be expressed in different tissues of melon. Most CmGLP genes were up-regulated after low-temperature stress. The relative expression of CmGLP2-5 increased by 157.13 times at 48 h after low-temperature treatment. This finding suggests that the CmGLP2-5 might play an important role in low-temperature stress in melon. Furthermore, quantitative dual LUC assays indicated that CmMYB23 and CmWRKY33 can bind the promoter fragment of the CmGLP2-5. These results were helpful in understanding the functional succession and evolution of the melon GLP gene family and further revealed the response of CmGLPs to low-temperature stress in melon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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16 pages, 4481 KiB

Open AccessArticle

OsGRP3 Enhances Drought Resistance by Altering Phenylpropanoid Biosynthesis Pathway in Rice (Oryza sativa L.)

by Wuwu Xu, Yangfan Dou, Han Geng, Jinmei Fu, Zhiwu Dan, Ting Liang, Mingxing Cheng, Weibo Zhao, Yafei Zeng, Zhongli Hu and Wenchao Huang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(13), 7045; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23137045 - 24 Jun 2022

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 2961

Abstract

As a sessile organism, rice often faces various kinds of abiotic stresses, such as drought stress. Drought stress seriously harms plant growth and damages crop yield every year. Therefore, it is urgent to elucidate the mechanisms of drought resistance in rice. In this study, we identified a glycine-rich RNA-binding protein, OsGRP3, in rice. Evolutionary analysis showed that it was closely related to OsGR-RBP4, which was involved in various abiotic stresses. The expression of OsGRP3 was shown to be induced by several abiotic stress treatments and phytohormone treatments. Then, the drought tolerance tests of transgenic plants confirmed that OsGRP3 enhanced drought resistance in rice. Meanwhile, the yeast two-hybrid assay, bimolecular luminescence complementation assay and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assay demonstrated that OsGRP3 bound with itself may affect the RNA chaperone function. Subsequently, the RNA-seq analysis, physiological experiments and histochemical staining showed that OsGRP3 influenced the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and further modulated lignin accumulation. Herein, our findings suggested that OsGRP3 enhanced drought resistance in rice by altering the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and further increasing lignin accumulation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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23 pages, 9625 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Comprehensive Analysis of the Hsp20 Gene Family in Canavalia rosea Indicates Its Roles in the Response to Multiple Abiotic Stresses and Adaptation to Tropical Coral Islands

by Mei Zhang, Shuguang Jian and Zhengfeng Wang

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(12), 6405; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23126405 - 8 Jun 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1867

Abstract

Heat shock protein 20 (Hsp20) is a major family of heat shock proteins that mainly function as molecular chaperones and are markedly accumulated in cells when organisms are subjected to environmental stress, particularly heat. Canavalia rosea is an extremophile halophyte with good adaptability to environmental high temperature and is widely distributed in coastal areas or islands in tropical and subtropical regions. In this study, we identified a total of 41 CrHsp20 genes in the C. rosea genome. The gene structures, phylogenetic relationships, chromosome locations, and conserved motifs of each CrHsp20 or encoding protein were analyzed. The promoters of CrHsp20s contained a series of predicted cis-acting elements, which indicates that the expression of different CrHsp20 members is regulated precisely. The expression patterns of the CrHsp20 family were analyzed by RNA sequencing both at the tissue-specific level and under different abiotic stresses, and were further validated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. The integrated expression profiles of the CrHsp20s indicated that most CrHsp20 genes were greatly upregulated (up to dozens to thousands of times) after 2 h of heat stress. However, some of the heat-upregulated CrHsp20 genes showed completely different expression patterns in response to salt, alkaline, or high osmotic stresses, which indicates their potential specific function in mediating the response of C. rosea to abiotic stresses. In addition, some of CrHsp20s were cloned and functionally characterized for their roles in abiotic stress tolerance in yeast. Taken together, these findings provide a foundation for functionally characterizing Hsp20s to unravel their possible roles in the adaptation of this species to tropical coral reefs. Our results also contribute to the understanding of the complexity of the response of CrHsp20 genes to other abiotic stresses and may help in future studies evaluating the functional characteristics of CrHsp20s for crop genetic improvement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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Review

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27 pages, 3817 KiB

Open AccessReview

Lipidomics-Assisted GWAS (lGWAS) Approach for Improving High-Temperature Stress Tolerance of Crops

by Velumani Pranneshraj, Manjeet Kaur Sangha, Ivica Djalovic, Jegor Miladinovic and Maduraimuthu Djanaguiraman

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2022, 23(16), 9389; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/ijms23169389 - 20 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3001

Abstract

High-temperature stress (HT) over crop productivity is an important environmental factor demanding more attention as recent global warming trends are alarming and pose a potential threat to crop production. According to the Sixth IPCC report, future years will have longer warm seasons and frequent heat waves. Thus, the need arises to develop HT-tolerant genotypes that can be used to breed high-yielding crops. Several physiological, biochemical, and molecular alterations are orchestrated in providing HT tolerance to a genotype. One mechanism to counter HT is overcoming high-temperature-induced membrane superfluidity and structural disorganizations. Several HT lipidomic studies on different genotypes have indicated the potential involvement of membrane lipid remodelling in providing HT tolerance. Advances in high-throughput analytical techniques such as tandem mass spectrometry have paved the way for large-scale identification and quantification of the enormously diverse lipid molecules in a single run. Physiological trait-based breeding has been employed so far to identify and select HT tolerant genotypes but has several disadvantages, such as the genotype-phenotype gap affecting the efficiency of identifying the underlying genetic association. Tolerant genotypes maintain a high photosynthetic rate, stable membranes, and membrane-associated mechanisms. In this context, studying the HT-induced membrane lipid remodelling, resultant of several up-/down-regulations of genes and post-translational modifications, will aid in identifying potential lipid biomarkers for HT tolerance/susceptibility. The identified lipid biomarkers (LIPIDOTYPE) can thus be considered an intermediate phenotype, bridging the gap between genotype–phenotype (genotype–LIPIDOTYPE–phenotype). Recent works integrating metabolomics with quantitative genetic studies such as GWAS (mGWAS) have provided close associations between genotype, metabolites, and stress-tolerant phenotypes. This review has been sculpted to provide a potential workflow that combines MS-based lipidomics and the robust GWAS (lipidomics assisted GWAS-lGWAS) to identify membrane lipid remodelling related genes and associations which can be used to develop HS tolerant genotypes with enhanced membrane thermostability (MTS) and heat stable photosynthesis (HP). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Abiotic Stress in Plant: From Gene to the Fields)

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