Expansins in Salt and Drought Stress Adaptation: From Genome-Wide Identification to Functional Characterisation in Crops
Expansins are cell wall-modifying proteins that play a pivotal role in plant growth, development, and stress adaptation to abiotic stress. This manuscript explores the functions of expansins in salt and drought stress responses across multiple plant species, highlighting their involvement in cell wa...
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MDPI AG
2025-04-01
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| author | Siarhei A. Dabravolski Stanislav V. Isayenkov |
| author_facet | Siarhei A. Dabravolski Stanislav V. Isayenkov |
| author_sort | Siarhei A. Dabravolski |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Expansins are cell wall-modifying proteins that play a pivotal role in plant growth, development, and stress adaptation to abiotic stress. This manuscript explores the functions of expansins in salt and drought stress responses across multiple plant species, highlighting their involvement in cell wall loosening, transcriptional regulation, ion and osmotic homeostasis, and phytohormone signalling. Genome-wide identification and expression analyses revealed differential regulation of expansin genes under abiotic stress conditions. In <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i>, overexpression of <i>NtEXPA4</i> and <i>NtEXPA11</i> promoted root elongation and ion homeostasis, improving salt and drought tolerance. Similarly, <i>Brassica rapa BrEXLB1</i> was found to modulate root architecture and phytohormone-mediated stress responses. In <i>Oryza sativa</i>, <i>OsEXPA7</i> was linked to cation exchange and auxin signalling under salt stress conditions. Conversely, in <i>Populus trichocarpa</i>, <i>PtEXPA6</i> exhibited a negative regulatory role in salt stress tolerance, highlighting species-specific differences in expansin function. Expansins also contribute to reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis, as observed in transgenic plants with increased activities of SOD, POD, APX, and CAT, which reduced oxidative damage under stress. Additionally, enhanced accumulation of soluble sugars and proline in expansin-overexpressing plants suggests their involvement in osmotic adjustment mechanisms. The interplay between expansins and ABA, auxins, and ethylene further underscores their role in integrating mechanical and hormonal stress responses. Despite substantial progress, limitations remain in understanding the broader regulatory networks influenced by expansins. Future research should focus on elucidating their downstream molecular targets, transcriptional interactions, and functional diversity across different plant species. Expansins represent promising candidates for improving crop resilience to environmental stress, making them valuable targets for future breeding and biotechnological approaches. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-13e2b124a02e49e3b424520ae7da1e57 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-13e2b124a02e49e3b424520ae7da1e572025-08-20T02:58:47ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-04-01149132710.3390/plants14091327Expansins in Salt and Drought Stress Adaptation: From Genome-Wide Identification to Functional Characterisation in CropsSiarhei A. Dabravolski0Stanislav V. Isayenkov1Department of Biotechnology Engineering, Braude Academic College of Engineering, Snunit 51, Karmiel 2161002, IsraelInstitute of Agricultural and Nutritional Sciences, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Betty-Heimann-Strasse 3, 06120 Halle, GermanyExpansins are cell wall-modifying proteins that play a pivotal role in plant growth, development, and stress adaptation to abiotic stress. This manuscript explores the functions of expansins in salt and drought stress responses across multiple plant species, highlighting their involvement in cell wall loosening, transcriptional regulation, ion and osmotic homeostasis, and phytohormone signalling. Genome-wide identification and expression analyses revealed differential regulation of expansin genes under abiotic stress conditions. In <i>Nicotiana tabacum</i>, overexpression of <i>NtEXPA4</i> and <i>NtEXPA11</i> promoted root elongation and ion homeostasis, improving salt and drought tolerance. Similarly, <i>Brassica rapa BrEXLB1</i> was found to modulate root architecture and phytohormone-mediated stress responses. In <i>Oryza sativa</i>, <i>OsEXPA7</i> was linked to cation exchange and auxin signalling under salt stress conditions. Conversely, in <i>Populus trichocarpa</i>, <i>PtEXPA6</i> exhibited a negative regulatory role in salt stress tolerance, highlighting species-specific differences in expansin function. Expansins also contribute to reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis, as observed in transgenic plants with increased activities of SOD, POD, APX, and CAT, which reduced oxidative damage under stress. Additionally, enhanced accumulation of soluble sugars and proline in expansin-overexpressing plants suggests their involvement in osmotic adjustment mechanisms. The interplay between expansins and ABA, auxins, and ethylene further underscores their role in integrating mechanical and hormonal stress responses. Despite substantial progress, limitations remain in understanding the broader regulatory networks influenced by expansins. Future research should focus on elucidating their downstream molecular targets, transcriptional interactions, and functional diversity across different plant species. Expansins represent promising candidates for improving crop resilience to environmental stress, making them valuable targets for future breeding and biotechnological approaches.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/9/1327expansincell-wall looseningsalt stressdrought stressabiotic stressstress tolerance |
| spellingShingle | Siarhei A. Dabravolski Stanislav V. Isayenkov Expansins in Salt and Drought Stress Adaptation: From Genome-Wide Identification to Functional Characterisation in Crops Plants expansin cell-wall loosening salt stress drought stress abiotic stress stress tolerance |
| title | Expansins in Salt and Drought Stress Adaptation: From Genome-Wide Identification to Functional Characterisation in Crops |
| title_full | Expansins in Salt and Drought Stress Adaptation: From Genome-Wide Identification to Functional Characterisation in Crops |
| title_fullStr | Expansins in Salt and Drought Stress Adaptation: From Genome-Wide Identification to Functional Characterisation in Crops |
| title_full_unstemmed | Expansins in Salt and Drought Stress Adaptation: From Genome-Wide Identification to Functional Characterisation in Crops |
| title_short | Expansins in Salt and Drought Stress Adaptation: From Genome-Wide Identification to Functional Characterisation in Crops |
| title_sort | expansins in salt and drought stress adaptation from genome wide identification to functional characterisation in crops |
| topic | expansin cell-wall loosening salt stress drought stress abiotic stress stress tolerance |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/9/1327 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT siarheiadabravolski expansinsinsaltanddroughtstressadaptationfromgenomewideidentificationtofunctionalcharacterisationincrops AT stanislavvisayenkov expansinsinsaltanddroughtstressadaptationfromgenomewideidentificationtofunctionalcharacterisationincrops |