CaMACPF1 and CaMACPF6 positively regulate hypoxia tolerance through modulating jasmonate and auxin metabolic pathways.

CaMACPF1 and CaMACPF6 enhance hypoxia tolerance in pepper by modulating jasmonate and auxin pathways, with overexpression improving plant endurance under stress.

• Why it matters: Flooding and submergence cause significant crop damage due to hypoxic stress, yet the role of MACPF proteins in plant hypoxia responses remains poorly understood, limiting potential strategies for crop resilience.
• What they did: Researchers identified two MACPF proteins in pepper, CaMACPF1 and CaMACPF6, localized at endoplasmic reticulum-plasma membrane contact sites and the Golgi, and overexpressed them to assess their function in hypoxia tolerance.
• The result: Overexpression led to increased hypoxia endurance and reduced reactive oxygen species, with CaMACPF6 additionally redirecting auxin metabolism, suggesting these proteins act as molecular switches linking membrane contact site dynamics to hormone signaling during hypoxia adaptation.