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<p><i>Lycium ruthenicum</i> is a thorny shrub with significant economic and ecological values, but its branch thorns pose challenges for daily management and fruit harvesting. The mechanism of thorn development (occurrence) remains unclear, which hinders genetic improvement in <i>L</i>. <i>ruthenicum</i>. This study demonstrated that exogenous salicylic acid (SA) treatment at 0.01&#xa0;mg/L significantly inhibited thorn occurrence in new stem of <i>L</i>. <i>ruthenicum</i>, reducing thorn frequency from 90.36% (Control) to 6.18%. The SA treatment also resulted in 44% of new stems being completely thornless. Surprisingly, SA not only suppressed thorn occurrence but promoted stem and leaf growth. To explore genes (pathways) underlying this phenomenon, we conducted high-throughput transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) using apical buds and the first three stem nodes from both thorny shoots and thornless new shoots after treatment with SA. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis of 21 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) confirmed the reliability of the RNA-Seq results. A total of 167 common DEGs were found in the four comparison groups of thornless and thorny materials. These DEGs were involved in KEGG pathways including <i>Plant hormone signal transduction</i>, <i>MAPK signal pathway</i>-<i>plant</i>, <i>Sesquiterpene and triterpene biosynthesis</i>, <i>Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis</i>, <i>Ribosome</i>, <i>Cutin</i>, <i>suberin</i>, <i>and wax biosynthesis</i>, etc. Notably, the majority of DEGs (160/167) in these pathways were up-regulated across all thornless samples following SA treatment, including two pathogenesis-related protein 1 genes (<i>PR1s</i>) within SA signaling pathways. Additionally, 14 transcription factor DEGs shared among four comparison groups of thornless and thorny materials, involving the AP2/ERF, MYB, NAC, WRKY, and LOB transcription factor families. These DEGs are worthy of further exploration. Here, a hypothesis model of SA specific inhibition of thorn occurrence in <i>L</i>. <i>ruthenicum</i> was established. The study revealed a new function of SA in regulating the occurrence of branch thorns, which not only expanded the biological function of plant hormones, but was of great significance for promoting the genetic improvement of <i>L</i>. <i>ruthenicum</i>.</p>

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Mechanism of Specific Inhibition of Thorn Formation by Salicylic Acid in Lycium ruthenicum

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月10日

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  • Yuliang Zhou,
  • Yingyue Jiang,
  • Wenxin Chen,
  • Lujia Li,
  • Huifang Lu,
  • Haifeng Ke,
  • Yucheng Wang,
  • Jianguo Cui,
  • Qin-Mei Wang

摘要

Lycium ruthenicum is a thorny shrub with significant economic and ecological values, but its branch thorns pose challenges for daily management and fruit harvesting. The mechanism of thorn development (occurrence) remains unclear, which hinders genetic improvement in L. ruthenicum. This study demonstrated that exogenous salicylic acid (SA) treatment at 0.01 mg/L significantly inhibited thorn occurrence in new stem of L. ruthenicum, reducing thorn frequency from 90.36% (Control) to 6.18%. The SA treatment also resulted in 44% of new stems being completely thornless. Surprisingly, SA not only suppressed thorn occurrence but promoted stem and leaf growth. To explore genes (pathways) underlying this phenomenon, we conducted high-throughput transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) using apical buds and the first three stem nodes from both thorny shoots and thornless new shoots after treatment with SA. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis of 21 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) confirmed the reliability of the RNA-Seq results. A total of 167 common DEGs were found in the four comparison groups of thornless and thorny materials. These DEGs were involved in KEGG pathways including Plant hormone signal transduction, MAPK signal pathway-plant, Sesquiterpene and triterpene biosynthesis, Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, Ribosome, Cutin, suberin, and wax biosynthesis, etc. Notably, the majority of DEGs (160/167) in these pathways were up-regulated across all thornless samples following SA treatment, including two pathogenesis-related protein 1 genes (PR1s) within SA signaling pathways. Additionally, 14 transcription factor DEGs shared among four comparison groups of thornless and thorny materials, involving the AP2/ERF, MYB, NAC, WRKY, and LOB transcription factor families. These DEGs are worthy of further exploration. Here, a hypothesis model of SA specific inhibition of thorn occurrence in L. ruthenicum was established. The study revealed a new function of SA in regulating the occurrence of branch thorns, which not only expanded the biological function of plant hormones, but was of great significance for promoting the genetic improvement of L. ruthenicum.