Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42121019›Full record

ArticleBMC genomics2026

Comprehensive in silico characterization of proteins associated with light responses, transport, and stress-related processes in the gametophyte of the fern Dryopteris affinis ssp. affinis.

Helena Fernández, Sara Ojosnegros, José Manuel Álvarez, Francisco Vázquez, Naiara Goya, Luis G Quintanilla, Jaume Flexas, Alexis Peña, Ueli Grossniklaus

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Article in BMC genomics, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Helena FernándezArea of Plant Physiology, Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, 33071, Spain. fernandezelena@uniovi.es.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5683-0674
Sara OjosnegrosArea of Plant Physiology, Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, 33071, Spain.
José Manuel ÁlvarezArea of Plant Physiology, Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, 33071, Spain.
Francisco VázquezArea of Plant Physiology, Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, 33071, Spain.
Naiara GoyaArea of Plant Physiology, Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, 33071, Spain.
Luis G QuintanillaGlobal Change Research Institute, University Rey Juan Carlos, Móstoles, 28933, Spain.
Jaume FlexasResearch Group on Plant Biology under Mediterranean Conditions, University of the Balearic Islands - Agro-Environmental and Water Economics Research Institute, Palma, Spain.
Alexis PeñaArea of Plant Physiology, Department of Organisms and Systems Biology, University of Oviedo, Oviedo, 33071, Spain.
Ueli GrossniklausDepartment of Plant and Microbial Biology & Zurich-Basel Plant Science Center, University of Zurich, Zurich, 8008, Switzerland.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundFern gametophytes represent a key phase in the fern life cycle and play an essential role in establishment and persistence. Despite their ecological and developmental relevance, the molecular basis of gametophyte function remains poorly characterised, particularly in apogamous ferns. The growing availability of transcriptomic resources offers new opportunities to investigate the functional organisation of this life stage.

resultsWe conducted an in silico analysis of a previously published RNA-seq dataset obtained from gametophytes of the apogamous fern Dryopteris affinis ssp. affinis, focusing on a curated subset of protein candidates defined by stringent filtering criteria (E-value < 1 × 10⁻¹⁰⁰ and minimum sequence length > 450 bp). Following filtering, 1,160 proteins were retained and classified into three main functional categories-light-related processes, transport functions, and stress responses-representing key processes underlying gametophyte physiology and environmental adaptation. Light-associated proteins were primarily linked to photosynthesis, photorespiration, xanthophyll metabolism and photomorphogenesis, including components involved in photosystem assembly, chloroplast function and photoreceptor-mediated signalling. Transport-related proteins comprised a diverse set of membrane- and cytoplasm-associated transporters mediating the movement of sugars, amino acids, ions and other metabolites. In addition, numerous proteins associated with biotic and abiotic stress responses and plant immunity were detected. Protein-protein interaction analysis identified a small number of highly connected nodes, with MODIFIED TRANSPORT TO THE VACUOLE 1 (MTV17) emerging as the most connected protein, mainly supported by database- and text-mining-based evidence, suggesting a potential central role in intracellular transport-related processes.

conclusionsThis study presents a curated, high-confidence protein dataset that extends current knowledge of fern gametophyte molecular organisation. The functional categories and interaction patterns identified highlight core processes underlying gametophyte physiology and stress adaptation, and provide a resource for future functional, comparative and experimental studies in ferns and other early-diverging land plants.

Indexed as

DryopterisGerm Cells, PlantLightPlant ProteinsStress, PhysiologicalBiological TransportComputational BiologyComputer SimulationGene Expression Regulation, PlantPlant ProteinsApogamyDryopteris affinis ssp. affinisFunctional annotationGametophyteMonilophytesProtein–protein interactionsStress responsesTranscriptomics

Identifiers

PMID42121019
PMCPMC13214078

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.