Journal Highlights

Alternative carbohydrate supplementation with honey in the in vitro propagation of Dendrobium antennatum (Lindl.)

Authors:

1. Botond Gaál (Department of Floriculture and Dendrology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest, Hungary. Research interests focus on the biology, propagation, and conservation of orchids)
2. Andrea Tilly-Mándy (Department of Floriculture and Dendrology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest, Hungary)
3. Péter Honfi (Department of Floriculture and Dendrology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest, Hungary)
4. István Dániel Mosonyi (Department of Floriculture and Dendrology, Hungarian University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Budapest, Hungary)
5. Szabolcs Molnár (MSc in Environmental Engineering, with over 15 years of experience in food industry research and development and instrumental analytical testing, specializing in the analysis and development of food active ingredients, stability, and technological processes)

Many orchid species are threatened in their natural habitats, while at the same time being widely represented in commercial trade, making efficient propagation crucial for both conservation and horticultural production. Organic additives have a long history of use in in vitro culture media, yet honey has received relatively little attention as an alternative carbohydrate source. In this study, we investigated plant development on half-strength MS medium supplemented with linden honey. Four treatments were tested: a control containing 20.0 g/L sucrose, a combined treatment with 15.0 g/L honey and 10.0 g/L sucrose, and two honey-only treatments at 30.0 and 60.0 g/L. The most favourable responses were observed in the 30.0 g/L  honey and the combined honey–sucrose media, which significantly enhanced shoot growth, fresh weight, and root condition. In contrast, the highest honey concentration inhibited plant development.  This study demonstrated the potential of honey as an effective and sustainable alternative to sucrose in orchid micropropagation.

Botond Gaál, Andrea Tilly-Mándy, Péter Honfi, István Dániel Mosonyi, Szabolcs Molnár. Alternative carbohydrate supplementation with honey in the in vitro propagation of Dendrobium antennatum (Lindl.). In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology – Plant, 61:1284-1294, 2025.

Making Maize Transformation Easier and More Accessible for Researchers

Genetic transformation of maize is a critical tool for crop improvement and plant biology research. Traditionally, this process has relied on immature embryos grown under controlled greenhouse conditions, which are costly, labor-intensive, and subject to seasonal variability. In this study, Kumar, Azanu et al. evaluated a novel transformation technique originally developed at Corteva Agriscience that addresses these limitations. Instead of immature embryos, the method utilizes seedling leaf-whorl explants along with a construct containing the morphogenic genes BABY BOOM (Bbm) and WUSCHEL2 (Wus2) to promote regeneration. To mitigate potential negative effects from prolonged expression of these genes, the system incorporates a drought-inducible promoter (derived from the maize Rab17 gene) to activate a Cre/loxP recombination mechanism, enabling precise excision of the Bbm/Wus2 cassette once regeneration is complete.

To assess the method’s broader applicability, the researchers compared two Agrobacterium helper plasmids: a proprietary construct (PHP71539) and a publicly available alternative [pKL2299, developed at Iowa State University (ISU)]. Transformation efficiency was tested on two maize inbred lines (PHR03 and B73) across two institutions, ISU and the Boyce Thompson Institute. Results showed comparable performance between the two plasmids, with high transformation efficiency even in B73, a genotype typically resistant to transformation via the traditional method. While some variation was observed across experiments, the overall reproducibility confirmed the method’s suitability for academic use. By reducing the need for greenhouse infrastructure and providing access to a non-proprietary helper plasmid, this leaf-whorl transformation approach substantially lowers barriers to maize genetic research, enabling more laboratories to generate transgenic lines and advance functional genomics and crop improvement. (256)

R. Kumar, M. K. Azanu, K. Lee, M. Kang, J. Zobrist, J. T. Bùi,·N. Wang, W. Gordon‑Kamm, J. Van Eck, and K. Wang. Comparative analysis of maize leaf whorl‑based transformation using ABA‑induced Bbm/Wus2 removal in two Agrobacterium ternary vector Systems. In Vitro Cellular and Developmental Biology – Plant. 61, 724–737, 2025

Principal Component Analysis showed that sodium azide primarily affects malondialdehyde, chlorophyll b, and cell wall-linked phenolics in sugarcane and pineapple grown in temporary immersion bioreactors

Authors:

1. Julio César Quintana-Zaez (University of Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez, Cuba)
2. Alberto Lozada (University of Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez, Cuba)
3. Daviel Gómez (Universitat Politècnica de València-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Spain)
4. Yanier Acosta (University of Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez, Cuba)
5. Barbarita Companioni (Universidad Autónoma Agraria Antonio Narro, Mexico)
6. Byron Enrique Zevallos–Bravo (Universidad Estatal del Sur de Manabí, Ecuador)
7. María de Lourdes Tapia y Figueroa (Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina, Peru)
8. José Carlos Lorenzo (University of Ciego de Ávila Máximo Gómez Báez, Cuba)

Sugarcane and pineapple are two major crops with big economic importance, but both need genetic improvements to stay sustainable and profitable. In this study, we tested how different doses of sodium azide (0, 0.15, 0.30, and 0.45 mM) affect plants grown in temporary immersion bioreactors (TIBs). Sodium azide is a mutagen that can trigger useful physiological changes, and we used principal component analysis (PCA) to sort out which traits mattered most. The analysis pointed to malondialdehyde, chlorophyll b, and cell wall phenolics as key indicators. In sugarcane, we saw a clear trade-off: stress markers like malondialdehyde, carotenoids, and soluble phenolics increased, while growth traits such as fresh shoot mass dropped. Pineapple showed a different pattern—photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls a and b, carotenoids) were prioritized over vegetative growth traits like shoot multiplication and biomass.  In short, sugarcane tends to channel energy into coping with stress, while pineapple leans toward boosting photosynthesis efficiency. These contrasting strategies highlight how each crop adapts under pressure. By understanding these species-specific responses, we can design more tailored approaches to crop improvement. Overall, the work adds practical insights for advancing sustainable agriculture and getting more value out of these essential crops.

Julio César Quintana-Zaez, Alberto Lozada, Daviel Gómez, Yanier Acosta, Barbarita Companioni, Byron Enrique Zevallos–Bravo, María de Lourdes Tapia y Figueroa, José Carlos Lorenzo. Principal Component Analysis showed that sodium azide primarily affects malondialdehyde, chlorophyll b, and cell wall-linked phenolics in sugarcane and pineapple grown in temporary immersion bioreactors. In Vitro-Cell. Dev. Biology – Plant, 61:883-891, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11627-025-10545-1

Effect of PGRs on in vitro corm growth of Musa acuminata Colla

Musa is a staple food in several countries and is a commonly consumed snack. The Agricultural Research Service of the United State Department of Agriculture maintains a banana germplasm collection to ensure future food security, provide genetic material for selection of clones resistant to disease and pests, and improvement of nutritional quality. Cryogenic storage is the safest preservation method for clonal genetic material. The cryopreservation procedure requires a large number of shoot tips excised from >5 mm in diameter corms before processing. Our micropropagation study on Musa acuminata Colla observed the highest number of this size of corms on Murashige Skoog medium with 4.5 and 6.5 mg L^-1 BA; however, other PGRs tested as IAA, IBA, NAA, TDZ and zT produced a similar number of >5 mm corms. The study provided information on PGRs supporting growth of specific corm size in vitro (absent in literature) for successful preparation of shoot tips for cryopreservation as well as generating planting material for field production.

Dianne M. Skogerboe, Kathleen M. Yeater, and Maria M. Jenderek.Effect of PGRs on in vitro corm growth of Musa acuminata Colla. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology-Plant, 61:1263-1269, 2025.

S100A8/A9 MCAM signaling promotes gastric cancer cell progression via ERK c Jun activation

Our current topic, which we believe holds significant potential for the field of cancer biology, is briefly explained as follows: Compelling evidence indicates the crucial role of the extracellular S100A8/A9 heterodimer in the malignant progression of cancer and metastatic aggressiveness. To function on cancer cells, the heterodimer requires its receptors. In addition to classical TLR4 and RAGE, novel receptors MCAM, ALCAM, EMMPRIN, and NPTN bind extracellular S100A8/A9, and signals that drive cancer activation are initiated upon binding, as we have reported elsewhere. For instance, MCAM and EMMPRIN are abundant in metastatic melanoma; they induce lung-tropic metastasis in response to S100A8/A9 via downstream signaling. On the other hand, NPTN is mainly expressed at high levels in lung cancer cells, enabling them to promote the disseminative growth of cancer cells through S100A8/A9 binding. In our paper, we provide new evidence for S100A8/A9 in gastric cancer progression via MCAM, whose expression is significantly upregulated in this cancer type. Stimulation of S100A8/A9 in cancer cells promotes cell growth and migration, whereas a neutralizing antibody against S100A8/A9 effectively inhibits cancerous behaviors, offering a potential avenue for cancer treatment. Our molecular research further revealed the significance of the ERK-c-Jun axis in these actions, which are associated with the regulation of several cancer-relevant genes. Interestingly, MCAM is positively regulated by the ERK-c-Jun axis, suggesting a feed-forward loop that further enhances the expression of cancer-related signals and genes in a snowball effect. The readout mentioned above is thus beneficial to cancer cell biology in culture and the clinical field.

Youyi Chen, Xu Yang, Rie Kinoshita, Nahoko Tomonobu, Bo Pan, Fangping Wu, Xu Zhang, Kazumi Sagayama, Bei Sun, Masakiyo Sakaguchi. S100A8/A9‑MCAM signaling promotes gastric cancer cell progression via ERK‑c‑Jun activation. In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology – Animal 61: 1082-1096, 2025.