Physiological and Transcriptomic Insights into Melatonin-Mediated Alleviation of Cadmium Stress in the Endangered Plant Plantago fengdouensis.
- 1Key Laboratory of Eco-Environment in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Beibei, Chongqing 400715, China.
Abstract
Plantago fengdouensis is an endangered species threatened by habitat loss, population fragmentation, and cadmium (Cd) contamination. This study evaluated the effects of exogenous melatonin (MT) on Cd tolerance from seed germination to the seedling stage. In Petri-dish assays, 50-100 mg L⁻¹ Cd markedly inhibited germination; 50 mg L⁻¹ was selected as the lowest concentration producing severe inhibition while retaining sufficient germination for mitigation testing, and 100 μM MT provided the strongest alleviation. In pot experiments, MT promoted seedling growth, shoot and root biomass accumulation, and root and leaf development while reducing Cd accumulation and root-to-shoot translocation. Physiological analyses showed that 200-250 μM MT most effectively alleviated Cd-associated damage by maintaining photosynthesis, enhancing antioxidant and osmotic-adjustment responses, and modulating endogenous hormones. Transcriptome analysis identified 4871 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between C50M200 and C50M0, with prominent enrichment in plant hormone signaling, cell-wall/plasma-membrane functions, secondary metabolism, and photosynthesis. Exploratory weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) further identified treatment-associated modules and candidate hub genes. Overall, the data support coordinated MT-associated responses involving stronger antioxidant defense, reduced Cd accumulation/translocation, and hormone-signaling remodeling. Because transcriptomes were obtained from leaves and WGCNA included nine samples, the inferred molecular mechanisms should be regarded as candidate pathways pending targeted expression and functional validation.
Related
- Comparative Physiological and Biochemical Responses of Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. var. romana) to Foliar Methyl Jasmonate, Nano-Kaolin, and Melatonin Under a Progressive High-Temperature Regime
- Combined Bacillus velezensis-Brevibacterium frigoritolerans Biostimulant and Melatonin Improves Salt Tolerance in Maize Seedlings and Is associated with Physiological and Transcriptome-Metabolome Changes.
- Melatonin pretreatment promotes the growth and physiological metabolism of tobacco seedling roots under low light
- Comparative physiological and photosynthetic responses of three mangrove species to salinity stress and exogenous melatonin
- Integrated Physiological, Transcriptomic, and Proteomic Analyses Reveal Alkali Stress Response and Tolerance Mechanisms of Rhododendron obtusum ‘Fenzhuanglou’ Seedlings
BibTeX
@article{peng2026physiological,
title = {{Physiological and Transcriptomic Insights into Melatonin-Mediated Alleviation of Cadmium Stress in the Endangered Plant Plantago fengdouensis.}},
author = {Yang Peng and Bin-Ru Wang and Jia-Bin Zhang and You-Wei Zuo and Xin Liang and Sheng-Mao Zhou and Shi-Qi You and Hong-Ping Deng},
journal = {Plants (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.3390/plants15203143},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42943096},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Physiological and Transcriptomic Insights into Melatonin-Mediated Alleviation of Cadmium Stress in the Endangered Plant Plantago fengdouensis.
AU - Yang Peng
AU - Bin-Ru Wang
AU - Jia-Bin Zhang
AU - You-Wei Zuo
AU - Xin Liang
AU - Sheng-Mao Zhou
AU - Shi-Qi You
AU - Hong-Ping Deng
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - Plants (Basel, Switzerland)
DO - 10.3390/plants15203143
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42943096
AB - Plantago fengdouensis is an endangered species threatened by habitat loss, population fragmentation, and cadmium (Cd) contamination. This study evaluated the effects of exogenous melatonin (MT) on Cd tolerance from seed germination to the seedling stage. In Petri-dish assays, 50-100 mg L⁻¹ Cd markedly inhibited germination; 50 mg L⁻¹ was selected as the lowest concentration producing severe inhibition while retaining sufficient germination for mitigation testing, and 100 μM MT provided the strongest alleviation. In pot experiments, MT promoted seedling growth, shoot and root biomass accumulation, and root and leaf development while reducing Cd accumulation and root-to-shoot translocation. Physiological analyses showed that 200-250 μM MT most effectively alleviated Cd-associated damage by maintaining photosynthesis, enhancing antioxidant and osmotic-adjustment responses, and modulating endogenous hormones. Transcriptome analysis identified 4871 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between C50M200 and C50M0, with prominent enrichment in plant hormone signaling, cell-wall/plasma-membrane functions, secondary metabolism, and photosynthesis. Exploratory weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) further identified treatment-associated modules and candidate hub genes. Overall, the data support coordinated MT-associated responses involving stronger antioxidant defense, reduced Cd accumulation/translocation, and hormone-signaling remodeling. Because transcriptomes were obtained from leaves and WGCNA included nine samples, the inferred molecular mechanisms should be regarded as candidate pathways pending targeted expression and functional validation.
SN - 2223-7747
ER -