Brassinosteroids negatively regulate plant <i>de novo</i> root regeneration

Yuan-Yuan Dong; Yu-Tong Jiang; Yuan-Xin Wang; Jin-Hui Chang; Jing-Ting Yang; Li-Qin Hu; Lu-Han Yang; Min Xu; Yuan-Yuan Zhang; Wu Liu; Wen-Hui Lin

doi:10.1016/j.jgg.2026.04.018

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Brassinosteroids negatively regulate plant de novo root regeneration

doi: 10.1016/j.jgg.2026.04.018

a. School of Life Sciences and Biotechnology, Joint International Research Laboratory of Metabolic and Developmental Sciences, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China;
b. Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Horticulture Crops (Northeast Region), Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Northeast Agricultural University, Harbin, Heilongjiang 150030, China;
c. Key Laboratory of Resource Biology and Biotechnology in Western China, Ministry of Education, Shaanxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Biotechnology, Northwest University, Xi'an, Shaanxi 710069, China;
d. Key Laboratory of Biology and Genetic Improvement of Oil Crops, The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Oil Crops Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei 430062, China;
e. National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 300 Fenglin Road, Shanghai 200032, China

Funds:

We thank Prof. Lin Xu for constructive discussion and DNRR-related plasmids and seeds, Prof. Wen-Qiang Tang for providing BR mutants seeds, Prof. Zi-Qiang Zhu for providing coi1-2 seeds, Prof. Zhao-Jun Ding for providing iaa33 seeds and Prof. Hong-Wei Xue for providing arf7 arf19 seeds. This research was supported by funding from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (92354301), Shanghai Agricultural Science and Technology Innovation Program (K2025002), the Scientific and Technological Innovation Action Program of Shanghai (23JC1402800), and the Special Program for China Postdoctoral Science Fund (2024T170561).

Received Date: 2025-11-02
Accepted Date: 2026-04-24
Rev Recd Date: 2026-04-23

Available Online: 2026-04-30

Abstract

Abstract

De novo root regeneration (DNRR) is essential for plant survival under mechanical damage and agricultural productivity, and plant hormones play a pivotal role in this process. While auxin, jasmonate (JA), and ethylene are known to be involved in DNRR, the role of brassinosteroids (BR) remains unreported. This study reveals that the reduced BR signaling promotes DNRR, whereas elevated BR signaling suppresses DNRR. Then we further validate that this mechanism is conserved across diverse plant species, including Brassica napus, Nicotiana benthamiana, and Solanum lycopersicum. Studies on the regulatory mechanism indicate that BR regulates DNRR by modulating auxin-related pathways. BR induces the transcription factor BZR1, which directly represses auxin transporter genes (PIN1, PIN3), thereby reducing auxin levels at the wound sites of leaf explants and inhibiting root primordia formation. Besides, BZR1 also transcriptionally suppresses root meristem initiation-related genes (WOX5 and LBD16) to inhibit DNRR. This study demonstrates BR function in plant DNRR, refines the network of hormonal regulation of DNRR, and provides an important clue for improving plant rooting efficiency in agriculture.
- De novo root regeneration,
- Brassinosteroid,
- Auxin,
- BZR1,
- Jasmonate

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References

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