Brassinosteroid-Mediated Resistance to Cobalt-Induced Toxicity by Regulating Hormonal Balance, Cellular Metabolism, and Antioxidant Defense in Maize
Brassinosteroids (BRs) play an essential role in regulating plant metabolic pathways that influence growth, development, and stress responses. However, their role in alleviating cobalt (Co) stress has not been extensively studied. This research aimed to assess the impact of exogenous BRs (0.1 µM) on...
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2025-07-01
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| author | Abdul Salam Jinzhe Chang Liupeng Yang Muhammad Zeeshan Anas Iqbal Ali Raza Khan Muhammad Siddique Afridi Zaid Ulhassan Wardah Azhar Zhixiang Zhang Peiwen Zhang |
| author_facet | Abdul Salam Jinzhe Chang Liupeng Yang Muhammad Zeeshan Anas Iqbal Ali Raza Khan Muhammad Siddique Afridi Zaid Ulhassan Wardah Azhar Zhixiang Zhang Peiwen Zhang |
| author_sort | Abdul Salam |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Brassinosteroids (BRs) play an essential role in regulating plant metabolic pathways that influence growth, development, and stress responses. However, their role in alleviating cobalt (Co) stress has not been extensively studied. This research aimed to assess the impact of exogenous BRs (0.1 µM) on maize subjected to Co stress (300 µM) in a hydroponic experiment. The results indicated that BR supplementation significantly decreased the accumulation of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> by 17.79 and 16.66%, O<sub>2</sub><sup>•−</sup> by 28.5 and 21.48%, and MDA by 37.5 and 37.9% in shoot and root, respectively, as compared to Co stress alone. Additionally, BRs enhanced endogenous levels of BRs (31.16%) and growth hormones (IAA 50.8%, JA 57.8%, GA 52.5%), and reduced Co contents by 26.3% in roots and 36.1% in shoots. BRs enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity both in the shoot and root, leading to reduced ROS levels as confirmed by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Furthermore, BRs increased phenols, flavonoids, and soluble sugars, and elevated total protein content. Observations from transmission electron microscopy indicated reduced ultrastructural damage in plants treated with BRs under Co stress. Taken together, this study highlights the role of BRs in alleviating Co stress in maize, demonstrating their efficiency in enhancing stress tolerance by modulating hormone levels and key metabolic processes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8a703207b8f1408a8eb46162e5c308aa |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2223-7747 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
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| series | Plants |
| spelling | doaj-art-8a703207b8f1408a8eb46162e5c308aa2025-08-20T03:28:25ZengMDPI AGPlants2223-77472025-07-011413207610.3390/plants14132076Brassinosteroid-Mediated Resistance to Cobalt-Induced Toxicity by Regulating Hormonal Balance, Cellular Metabolism, and Antioxidant Defense in MaizeAbdul Salam0Jinzhe Chang1Liupeng Yang2Muhammad Zeeshan3Anas Iqbal4Ali Raza Khan5Muhammad Siddique Afridi6Zaid Ulhassan7Wardah Azhar8Zhixiang Zhang9Peiwen Zhang10State Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaState Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Subtropical Agro-Bioresources, College of Agriculture, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaSchool of Environment and Safety Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, ChinaDepartment of Plant Pathology, Federal University of Lavras (UFLA), Lavras 37200-900, MG, BrazilSchool of Breeding and Multiplication (Sanya Institute of Breeding and Multiplication), Hainan University, Sanya 572025, ChinaZhejiang Key Lab of Crop Germplasm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture and Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Green Pesticide, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, ChinaBrassinosteroids (BRs) play an essential role in regulating plant metabolic pathways that influence growth, development, and stress responses. However, their role in alleviating cobalt (Co) stress has not been extensively studied. This research aimed to assess the impact of exogenous BRs (0.1 µM) on maize subjected to Co stress (300 µM) in a hydroponic experiment. The results indicated that BR supplementation significantly decreased the accumulation of H<sub>2</sub>O<sub>2</sub> by 17.79 and 16.66%, O<sub>2</sub><sup>•−</sup> by 28.5 and 21.48%, and MDA by 37.5 and 37.9% in shoot and root, respectively, as compared to Co stress alone. Additionally, BRs enhanced endogenous levels of BRs (31.16%) and growth hormones (IAA 50.8%, JA 57.8%, GA 52.5%), and reduced Co contents by 26.3% in roots and 36.1% in shoots. BRs enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity both in the shoot and root, leading to reduced ROS levels as confirmed by laser scanning confocal microscopy. Furthermore, BRs increased phenols, flavonoids, and soluble sugars, and elevated total protein content. Observations from transmission electron microscopy indicated reduced ultrastructural damage in plants treated with BRs under Co stress. Taken together, this study highlights the role of BRs in alleviating Co stress in maize, demonstrating their efficiency in enhancing stress tolerance by modulating hormone levels and key metabolic processes.https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/13/2076hormonebrassinosteroidsmaizecobalt stresscellular metabolism |
| spellingShingle | Abdul Salam Jinzhe Chang Liupeng Yang Muhammad Zeeshan Anas Iqbal Ali Raza Khan Muhammad Siddique Afridi Zaid Ulhassan Wardah Azhar Zhixiang Zhang Peiwen Zhang Brassinosteroid-Mediated Resistance to Cobalt-Induced Toxicity by Regulating Hormonal Balance, Cellular Metabolism, and Antioxidant Defense in Maize Plants hormone brassinosteroids maize cobalt stress cellular metabolism |
| title | Brassinosteroid-Mediated Resistance to Cobalt-Induced Toxicity by Regulating Hormonal Balance, Cellular Metabolism, and Antioxidant Defense in Maize |
| title_full | Brassinosteroid-Mediated Resistance to Cobalt-Induced Toxicity by Regulating Hormonal Balance, Cellular Metabolism, and Antioxidant Defense in Maize |
| title_fullStr | Brassinosteroid-Mediated Resistance to Cobalt-Induced Toxicity by Regulating Hormonal Balance, Cellular Metabolism, and Antioxidant Defense in Maize |
| title_full_unstemmed | Brassinosteroid-Mediated Resistance to Cobalt-Induced Toxicity by Regulating Hormonal Balance, Cellular Metabolism, and Antioxidant Defense in Maize |
| title_short | Brassinosteroid-Mediated Resistance to Cobalt-Induced Toxicity by Regulating Hormonal Balance, Cellular Metabolism, and Antioxidant Defense in Maize |
| title_sort | brassinosteroid mediated resistance to cobalt induced toxicity by regulating hormonal balance cellular metabolism and antioxidant defense in maize |
| topic | hormone brassinosteroids maize cobalt stress cellular metabolism |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2223-7747/14/13/2076 |
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