Distinct root apoplastic barrier distribution and conserved peroxidase function in desert trees
Abstract
The formation of extracellular barriers in roots plays a critical role in maintaining water balance and nutrient homeostasis; however, their molecular composition and physiological roles in desert-adapted plants remain largely unexplored.
Here, we examine apoplastic barrier formation in the roots of 2 arid-adapted, ecologically and economically important tree species: date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and gray mangrove (Avicennia marina). In date palm, lignin and suberin showed complementary distribution patterns within the outer root layers. In mangrove roots, lignin accumulated in the epidermis and exodermis, whereas suberin was concentrated in the exodermis. Label-free Raman spectroscopy imaging confirmed these spatial patterns. Noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed that water distribution mirrored barrier localization: date palms retained water in the vasculature and outer tissues, whereas mangroves concentrated water in the xylem. Transcriptome analysis identified a type III PEROXIDASE (PER) highly expressed in the exodermis of both species. The PER protein localized to Golgi-derived vesicles and the plasma membrane and interacted with a component of the Golgi apparatus. Expression of date palm and mangrove PER in Arabidopsis thaliana leads to ectopic lignin deposition in the root epidermis. Together, our findings suggest that type III PEROXIDASES are transported to the plasma membrane through the Golgi vesicles and promote lignin deposition. Overall, this study reveals distinct root barrier distribution and identifies a conserved molecular component underlying structural adaptations that enable plants to thrive in challenging environments.
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BibTeX
@article{kise2026distinct,
title = {{Distinct root apoplastic barrier distribution and conserved peroxidase function in desert trees}},
author = {Jose Gonzalez Kise and Ting Ting Xiao and Xinjing Xu and Siarhei Laptenok and Luca Genchi and Xianrong Guo and Christian G Canlas and Carlo Liberale and Ikram Blilou},
journal = {Plant Physiology},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1093/plphys/kiag760},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiag760},
note = {CC BY-NC-ND 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Distinct root apoplastic barrier distribution and conserved peroxidase function in desert trees
AU - Jose Gonzalez Kise
AU - Ting Ting Xiao
AU - Xinjing Xu
AU - Siarhei Laptenok
AU - Luca Genchi
AU - Xianrong Guo
AU - Christian G Canlas
AU - Carlo Liberale
AU - Ikram Blilou
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Plant Physiology
DO - 10.1093/plphys/kiag760
UR - https://doi.org/10.1093/plphys/kiag760
AB - The formation of extracellular barriers in roots plays a critical role in maintaining water balance and nutrient homeostasis; however, their molecular composition and physiological roles in desert-adapted plants remain largely unexplored. Here, we examine apoplastic barrier formation in the roots of 2 arid-adapted, ecologically and economically important tree species: date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) and gray mangrove (Avicennia marina). In date palm, lignin and suberin showed complementary distribution patterns within the outer root layers. In mangrove roots, lignin accumulated in the epidermis and exodermis, whereas suberin was concentrated in the exodermis. Label-free Raman spectroscopy imaging confirmed these spatial patterns. Noninvasive magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed that water distribution mirrored barrier localization: date palms retained water in the vasculature and outer tissues, whereas mangroves concentrated water in the xylem. Transcriptome analysis identified a type III PEROXIDASE (PER) highly expressed in the exodermis of both species. The PER protein localized to Golgi-derived vesicles and the plasma membrane and interacted with a component of the Golgi apparatus. Expression of date palm and mangrove PER in Arabidopsis thaliana leads to ectopic lignin deposition in the root epidermis. Together, our findings suggest that type III PEROXIDASES are transported to the plasma membrane through the Golgi vesicles and promote lignin deposition. Overall, this study reveals distinct root barrier distribution and identifies a conserved molecular component underlying structural adaptations that enable plants to thrive in challenging environments.
SN - 0032-0889
SN - 1532-2548
ER -