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Transcriptomic reprogramming underlies melatonin-mediated enhancement of cadmium tolerance and lateral root growth in soybean
| First Author: |
Li, Rongrong |
| Abstract: |
Soil contamination by heavy metals, particularly cadmium (Cd), poses a serious threat to sustainable soybean (Glycine max) production and food safety. Melatonin (MT) has been reported to enhance plant tolerance to abiotic stress; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying MT-mediated Cd tolerance and cultivar-specific responses in soybean remain largely unclear. Here, comparative transcriptome analysis, weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) and physio-biochemical assays were integrated to investigate the regulatory mechanisms of MT-mediated Cd tolerance in soybean. Exogenous melatonin (exMT) application significantly reduced Cd accumulation in roots and shoots by 40% and 38%, respectively, while concomitantly enhancing the antioxidant system. Moreover, treatment with 10 mu M exMT markedly improved plant growth, increasing primary root length, stem length, lateral root number, chlorophyll content and fresh weight by 14, 49, 16, 63 and 18%, respectively. WGCNA revealed that Cd stress triggered a core regulatory network involving MYB36, the senescence-related gene SRG1, the peroxidase gene PRX5, the polyamine oxidase gene PPO and the mitochondrial phosphate transporter gene PiC, which collectively contributed to Cd-induced toxicity. In contrast, integrated analyses identified a distinct regulatory module associated with MT-mediated Cd tolerance, including |
| Contact the author: |
Pu, XJ;Chen, Q |
| Page Number: |
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| Issue: |
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| Subject: |
Engineering, Environmental; Environmental Sciences |
| Impact Factor: |
11.3 |
| Authors units: |
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| PubYear: |
2026 |
| Volume: |
511 |
| Publication Name: |
JOURNAL OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS |
| The full text link: |
10.1016/j.jhazmat.2026.142192 |
| ISSN: |
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| Download: |
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