(Press-News.org) ST. LOUIS, MO, November 10, 2025 - A new collaborative research team of plant scientists led by Ru Zhang, PhD, associate member, Danforth Plant Science Center has been awarded new funding from the National Science Foundation to investigate how photosynthetic cells retain “heat stress memory” (HSM), a key adaptive mechanism that could help future crops withstand intense and frequent heat waves.
Photosynthesis, the process by which plants convert sunlight into energy, is the key driver of plant growth and food production, but it is especially vulnerable to heat. High temperatures in field conditions can decrease photosynthetic efficiency, impair plant growth and reduce crop yields. Yet scientists still know little about how plants, especially photosynthetic processes, respond to and adapt to repeated heat at the cellular and genetic level.
“Plants often face the same stresses repeatedly, yet they have remarkable strategies for maintaining stress memory and recovering growth,” said Zhang. “By learning how photosynthetic cells ‘respond to and ‘remember’ heat at a molecular and genetic level, we can lay the foundation for future approaches to strengthen crop performance under high temperatures.”
The new research project will use a powerful combination of interdisciplinary tools, including genome-scale and high-throughput approaches, to decode how HSM is regulated in photosynthetic cells. Unlike many previous studies that relied on short-lived stress events or plants grown in artificial conditions (e.g., Petri dishes), Zhang’s team will examine multi-generational HSM using highly controlled algal cultures alongside soil-grown model plants under physiologically relevant conditions that more closely resemble nature.
The research will engage a broad range of scientists who study stress responses in plant cells to drive innovative agricultural solutions and improve crops' resilience to heat stress. Beyond scientific discovery, the project will support education and outreach activities designed to equip mentees at various levels and implement computational tools as community resources, thereby broadening the impact of the research.
Co-PIs include, Xuehua Zhong, PhD, professor of Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, and Jianlin Cheng, PhD, professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, University of Missouri Columbia.
About the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center
Founded in 1998, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center is a nonprofit research institute with a mission to improve the human condition through plant science. The Center’s research, education and outreach efforts focus on food security and environmental sustainability, positioning the St. Louis region as a global leader in plant science. The Center is supported by funding from organizations such as the National Science Foundation, National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Agriculture, The Gates Foundation and the generosity of individuals, corporation and foundation donors. For more information, visit danforthcenter.org.
For more information contact:
Karla Roeber, Vice President, Public and Government Affairs, kroeber@danforthcenter.org
END
Collaborative research team to uncover how plants “remember” and adapt to heat stress
2025-11-10
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