Scientists Uncover How Plants Generate a Unique Molecule that Combats Stress

A groundbreaking study has identified, for the first time, the genes that enable plants to thrive in stressful conditions, offering potential solutions for creating more sustainable food crops amid global climate change.

A study led by the University of East Anglia (UEA) has uncovered the genes that allow plants to produce a novel anti-stress molecule called dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP). While most plants generate DMSP, high levels of its production enable plants to thrive in coastal, salty environments.

The research also demonstrates that plants can grow under other stressful conditions, such as drought, when either supplemented with DMSP or engineered to produce it. This approach could be particularly useful in nitrogen-poor soils to boost agricultural productivity.

First Study to Uncover DMSP Genes and Their Role in Plant Stress Tolerance

This is the first study to identify the genes involved in DMSP production, explain its purpose in plants, and show its potential to enhance stress tolerance. The findings are published in Nature Communications.

Prof. Jon Todd from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences noted, “Our study reveals that while most plants produce the anti-stress compound DMSP, the saltmarsh grass Spartina is unique because it accumulates particularly high levels. This is significant because Spartina saltmarshes are major global centers for DMSP production, and the breakdown of DMSP by microbes generates the climate-cooling gas dimethylsulfide.”

Lead author Dr. Ben Miller, also from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, added, “This discovery enhances our understanding of how plants cope with stress and opens up potential methods for improving crop resilience to salinity and drought, which is crucial for sustainable agriculture in the context of global climate change.”

First Study to Uncover DMSP Genes and Their Role in Plant Stress Tolerance

The research team, which included scientists from UEA’s School of Biological Sciences, School of Chemistry, Pharmacy and Pharmacology, and Ocean University of China, studied Spartina anglica, a species of saltmarsh cordgrass that produces high levels of DMSP. They compared its genes with those of other plants that produce DMSP in lower concentrations, including crops like barley and wheat.

The researchers identified three key enzymes responsible for the high production of DMSP in Spartina anglica. DMSP plays vital roles in stress protection and is integral to global carbon and sulfur cycles, as well as the production of climate-influencing gases. Spartina-dominated saltmarshes are hotspots for DMSP synthesis due to the grass’s ability to produce unusually high concentrations of the compound.

Read the original article on: Phys Org

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