Legume Genomics and Genetics 2025, Vol.16, No.5, 204-214 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/lgg 212 But the "voices" of these genes are not always synchronized. At different tissues and developmental stages, their expressions have their own rhythms, especially in the root system, root nodules, and when facing adverse conditions such as drought or salinization, they are particularly active. Genes like GmEXPB2 have been repeatedly demonstrated in research that after overexpression, not only do roots grow faster and root nodules increase, but the stress resistance also improves significantly (and all of these are ultimately linked to yield). Of course, including these genes in the breeding program is not just empty talk. Whether using traditional marker-assisted selection or with the help of CRISPR/Cas, the "precise scissors", the application of expansion proteins is becoming more realistic. They may alter the configuration of roots, enhance nutrient absorption capacity, and even offer a feasible path in terms of reducing medication and increasing yield. However, behind these seemingly "promising" directions, there are still many problems to be solved. For instance, how do these genes interact with each other? Do they have a deeper integration with hormone signals or stress pathways? Which ones are the core functions and which ones are merely "background signals"? In addition, many functional verifications are still at the laboratory stage, and the stability of the field environment and the applicability across varieties have not been fully tested. Future research may need to delve more into these cross-regions. It is not only about functional verification, but also delves into multiple levels such as transcription, protein, and metabolism. It is not only necessary to look at short-term phenotypes, but also to observe long-term adaptability. Only when we truly put these laboratory achievements into the fields for verification can they possibly become truly useful breeding resources, rather than just highlights in papers. Acknowledgments I am very grateful to Ms. Fan for her meticulous review of the manuscript and her suggestions for improvement of the logical coherence. Conflict of Interest Disclosure The author affirms that this research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. References AbuQamar S., Ajeb S., Sham A., Enan M., and Iratni R., 2013, A mutation in the expansin-like A2 gene enhances resistance to necrotrophic fungi and hypersensitivity to abiotic stress in Arabidopsis thaliana, Molecular Plant Pathology, 14(8): 813-827. https://doi.org/10.1111/mpp.12049 Brasileiro A., Lacorte C., Pereira B., Oliveira T., Da Silva Ferreira D., Mota A., Saraiva M., Araújo A., Silva L., and Guimaraes P., 2021, Ectopic expression of an expansin-like B gene from wild Arachis enhances tolerance to both abiotic and biotic stresses, The Plant Journal, 107(6): 1681-1696. https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.15409 Che J., Yamaji N., Shen R., and Ma J., 2016, An Al-inducible expansin gene, OsEXPA10 is involved in root cell elongation of rice, The Plant Journal, 88(1): 132-142. https://doi.org/10.1111/tpj.13237 Chen Q.S., 2024, Genome-wide association studies in fabaceae: progress and prospects, Genomics and Applied Biology, 15(4): 212-222. https://doi.org/10.5376/gab.2024.15.0023 Chen L., Zou W., Fei C., Wu G., Li X., Lin H., and Xi D., 2018, α-Expansin EXPA4 positively regulates abiotic stress tolerance but negatively regulates pathogen resistance in Nicotiana tabacum, Plant and Cell Physiology, 59(11): 2317-2330. https://doi.org/10.1093/pcp/pcy155 Chen S., Luo Y., Wang G., Feng C., and Li H., 2020, Genome-wide identification of expansin genes in Brachypodium distachyon and functional characterization of BdEXPA27, Plant Science, 296: 110490. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.plantsci.2020.110490 Chen Y., Zhang B., Li C., Lei C., Kong C., Yang Y., and Gong M., 2019, A comprehensive expression analysis of the expansin gene family in potato (Solanum tuberosum) discloses stress-responsive expansin-like B genes for drought and heat tolerances, PLoS ONE, 14(7): e0219837. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0219837 Cosgrove D., 2015, Plant expansins: diversity and interactions with plant cell walls, Current Opinion in Plant Biology, 25: 162-172. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pbi.2015.05.014 Dabravolski S., and Isayenkov S., 2025, Expansins in salt and drought stress adaptation: from genome-wide identification to functional characterisation in crops, Plants, 14(9): 1327. https://doi.org/10.3390/plants14091327
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