Genetius

The study used transcriptomic profiling to compare tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) responses to three evolutionarily distant pathogens—nematodes, aphids, and oomycetes—during compatible interactions, identifying differentially expressed genes and key host hubs. Integrating public datasets and performing co‑expression and GO enrichment analyses, the authors mapped shared dysregulation clusters and employed Arabidopsis interactome data to place tomato candidates within broader networks, highlighting potential targets for multi‑pathogen resistance.

The study introduces a hybrid modeling framework that integrates a logistic ordinary differential equation with a Long Short-Term Memory neural network to form a Physics-Informed Neural Network (PINN) for predicting wheat plant height. Using only time and temperature as inputs, the PINN outperformed other longitudinal growth models, achieving the lowest average RMSE and reduced variability across multiple random initializations. The results suggest that embedding biological growth constraints within data‑driven models can substantially improve prediction accuracy for plant traits.

The study generated a dataset of 420 sgRNAs targeting promoters, exons, and introns of 137 tomato genes in protoplasts, linking editing efficiency to chromatin accessibility, genomic context, and sequence features. Open chromatin sites showed higher editing rates, while transcriptional activity had little effect, and a subset of guides produced near‑complete editing with microhomology‑mediated deletions. Human‑trained prediction models performed poorly, highlighting the need for plant‑specific guide design tools.

The study characterizes a radiation‑induced root‑suppressed (Rs) mutant in tomato that displays dwarfism and pleiotropic defects in leaves, flowers, and fruits. Metabolite profiling and rescue with H2S donors implicate disrupted sulfur metabolism, and whole‑genome sequencing identifies promoter mutations in two root‑meristem‑specific sulfotransferase genes as likely contributors to the root phenotype.

The study shows that nitrogen deficiency markedly elevates the exudation of the triterpenoid Solanoeclepin A (SolA) from tomato roots, a process that requires non‑sterile soil and involves the rhizosphere microbiota. Transient silencing of two candidate biosynthetic genes (CYP749A19 and CYP749A20) reduced SolA levels and impaired recruitment of beneficial Massilia spp., which promote plant growth under nitrogen limitation, indicating that SolA acts as a microbe‑mediated recruitment signal that was co‑opted by cyst nematodes.

The study examined the roles of AtKUP2, AtKUP6, AtKUP8, and GORK potassium transport proteins in guard cell function by performing gas-exchange measurements on mature Arabidopsis leaves. Loss of KUP2/6/8 reduced stomatal conductance, whereas a GORK loss‑of‑function mutant showed increased conductance, yet the magnitude of light‑ and ABA‑induced transpiration changes remained similar across genotypes, suggesting a limited dynamic range for rapid stomatal movements that relies on small ionic osmolytes.

The study used untargeted metabolomics and QTL mapping in a tomato recombinant inbred line population to characterize root exudate composition and identify genetic loci controlling specific metabolites. It reveals domestication-driven changes in exudate profiles and links metabolic QTLs with previously reported microbial QTLs, suggesting a genetic basis for shaping the root microbiome.

The study cloned the resistance genes Rmo2 and Rwt7 from barley and wheat, revealing them as orthologous tandem kinase proteins (TKPs) with an N‑terminal heavy metal‑associated (HMA) domain. Domain‑swapping experiments indicated that the HMA domain dictates effector specificity, supporting a model of TKP diversification into paralogs and orthologs that recognize distinct pathogen effectors.

Mutations in the plastid division gene PARC6 and the granule initiation gene BGC1 were combined to generate wheat plants with dramatically enlarged A-type starch granules, some exceeding 50 µm, without affecting plant growth, grain size, or overall starch content. The parc6 bgc1 double mutant was evaluated in both glasshouse and field trials, and the giant granules displayed altered viscosity and pasting temperature, offering novel functional properties for food and industrial applications.

The researchers performed a large‑scale field trial with 105 wheat (Triticum aestivum) genotypes inoculated by Fusarium culmorum, combining quantitative deoxynivalenol (DON) profiling and untargeted metabolomics to uncover molecular signatures of infection. Sesquiterpene‑derived metabolites tracked toxin accumulation, whereas glycosylated diterpene conjugates were enriched in low‑DON samples, indicating a potential defensive metabolic pathway.