Transcriptional responses of Solanum lycopersicum to three distinct parasites reveal host hubs and networks underlying parasitic successes
Authors: Truch, J., Jaouannet, M., Da Rocha, M., Kulhanek-Fontanille, E., Van Ghelder, C., Rancurel, C., Migliore, O., Pere, A., Jaubert, S., Coustau, C., Galiana, E., Favery, B.
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 examined leaf pavement cell shape complexity across a natural European aspen (Populus tremula) population, using GWAS to pinpoint the transcription factor MYB305a as a regulator of cell geometry. Functional validation showed that MYB305a expression is induced by drought and contributes to shape simplification, with cell complexity negatively correlated with water-use efficiency and climatic variables of the genotypes' origin.
A genome‑wide association study of 187 bread wheat genotypes identified 812 significant loci linked to 25 spectral vegetation indices under rainfed drought conditions, revealing a major QTL hotspot on chromosome 2A that accounts for up to 20% of variance in greenness and pigment traits. Candidate gene analysis at this hotspot uncovered stress‑responsive genes, demonstrating that vegetation indices are heritable digital phenotypes useful for selection and genetic analysis of drought resilience.
The study reveals that REMORIN protein evolution is primarily driven by diversification of their conserved C-terminal domain, defining four major clades. Structural bioinformatics predicts a common membrane‑binding interface with diverse curvatures and lengths, and suggests that some REMs can form C‑terminal‑mediated oligomers, adding complexity to membrane organization.
The study examined how DNA methylation influences cold stress priming in Arabidopsis thaliana, revealing that primed plants exhibit distinct gene expression and methylation patterns compared to non-primed plants. DNA methylation mutants, especially met1 lacking CG methylation, showed altered cold memory and misregulation of the CBF gene cluster, indicating that methylation ensures transcriptional precision during stress recall.
Using a forward genetic screen of 284 Arabidopsis thaliana accessions, the study identified extensive natural variation in root endodermal suberin and pinpointed the previously unknown gene SUBER GENE1 (SBG1) as a key regulator. GWAS and protein interaction analyses revealed that SBG1 controls suberin deposition by binding type‑one protein phosphatases (TOPPs), with disruption of this interaction or TOPP loss‑of‑function altering suberin levels, linking the pathway to ABA signaling.
The study used paired whole‑genome bisulphite sequencing and RNA‑seq on wheat landraces to investigate how DNA methylation patterns change during drought stress, revealing antagonistic trends across cytosine contexts and a key demethylation role for ROS1a family members. Gene‑body methylation correlated positively with expression but negatively with stress‑responsive changes, while drought‑induced hyper‑methylation of specific transposable elements, especially the RLX_famc9 LTR retrotransposon, appears to modulate downstream gene regulation via siRNA precursors.
The study reveals that rice perceives Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae outer membrane vesicles through a rapid calcium signal that triggers plasma‑membrane nanodomain formation and the re‑organisation of defence‑related proteins, establishing an early immune response. Without this Ca2+ signal, OMVs are not recognized and immunity is weakened.
The study compares the iron-poor oceanic diatom Thalassiosira oceanica with the iron-rich coastal species T. pseudonana to uncover how diatoms adapt to low-iron conditions. Using photo‑physiological measurements, proteomic profiling, and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, the researchers show that each species remodels chloroplast compartments and exhibits distinct mitochondrial architectures to maintain chloroplast‑mitochondrial coupling under iron limitation.
CLPC2 plays specific roles in CLP complex-mediated regulation of growth, photosynthesis, embryogenesis and response to growth-promoting microbial compounds
Authors: Leal-Lopez, J., Bahaji, A., De Diego, N., Tarkowski, P., Baroja-Fernandez, E., Munoz, F. J., Almagro, G., Perez, C. E., Bastidas-Parrado, L. A., Loperfido, D., Caporalli, E., Ezquer, I., Lopez-Serrano, L., Ferez-Gomez, A., Coca-Ruiz, V., Pulido, P., Morcillo, R. J. L., Pozueta-Romero, J.
The study demonstrates that the plastid chaperone CLPC2, but not its paralogue CLPC1, is essential for Arabidopsis responsiveness to microbial volatile compounds and for normal seed and seedling development. Loss of CLPC2 alters the chloroplast proteome, affecting proteins linked to growth, photosynthesis, and embryogenesis, while overexpression of CLPC2 mimics CLPC1 deficiency, highlighting distinct functional roles within the CLP protease complex.