2026/07/22 by Zhexuan Tan, LW Xu, Lele Xu +8
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · #Plant Gene Expression Analysis #Plant Molecular Biology Research #Plant Stress Responses and Tolerance
paper · doi:10.1016/j.envexpbot.2026.106423
openalex publication_date 2026/07/22 · openalex created_date 2026/07/23 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
With the intensification of global climate change, drought has become a major abiotic stress limiting crop productivity. Extensins are key structural components of the plant cell wall, yet their roles in drought tolerance remain poorly understood. In this study, we integrated transgenic, physiological, transcriptomic, and metabolomic approaches to investigate the function of NtEXT1L in tobacco drought tolerance. Overexpression of NtEXT1L significantly enhanced drought tolerance, as evidenced by elevated antioxidant enzyme activity, improved water retention, and reduced stomatal conductance. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses further revealed that NtEXT1L activates cell division-related genes, reprograms hormone signaling toward growth promotion, and redirects phenylpropanoid carbon flux toward lignin biosynthesis at the expense of flavonoids. Notably, the lignin monomer glycoside syringin accumulated significantly and exogenous syringin application improved leaf water retention under drought. These results reveal a growth-permissive drought strategy that differs fundamentally from classical dormancy-based adaptation: NtEXT1L , a cell-wall structural protein, sustains cell-cycle progression, redirects metabolic carbon toward lignin biosynthesis, and bolsters physiological defenses to maintain growth under water deficit.