The study establishes a tractable system using the large bloom-forming diatom Coscinodiscus granii and its natural oomycete parasite Lagenisma coscinodisci, enabling manual isolation of single host cells and stable co-cultures. High‑quality transcriptomes for both partners were assembled, revealing diverse oomycete effectors and a host transcriptional response involving proteases and exosome pathways, while also profiling the co‑occurring heterotrophic flagellate Pteridomonas sp. This tripartite platform provides a unique marine model for dissecting molecular mechanisms of oomycete‑diatom interactions.

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 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.

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.

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.

The study identifies the histone methyltransferase SDG26 as a positive regulator of cold stress responses in Arabidopsis thaliana, showing that it is induced by cold and promotes expression of CBF‑COR genes via H3K36me3 deposition. Loss of SDG26 enhances freezing tolerance but compromises drought tolerance by affecting ABA biosynthesis and stomatal closure, indicating that SDG26 integrates ABA‑dependent and independent pathways to balance cold acclimation with water conservation.

A diverse rice germplasm panel was screened for cold tolerance at seedling and reproductive stages using artificial cold-water tanks, natural field conditions, and controlled cold facilities, with performance evaluated via quantitative and qualitative traits. Several genotypes displayed stage-specific or combined tolerance, while others were consistently vulnerable, and PCA indicated overlapping yet distinct physiological mechanisms across environments, supporting the existence of stage-specific QTLs for cold resistance.

The study evaluated a transgenic soybean line (VPZ-34A) expressing Arabidopsis VDE, PsbS, and ZEP for combined improvements in light‑use efficiency and carbon assimilation under ambient and elevated CO2 in a FACE experiment. While VPZ‑34A showed enhanced maximum quantum efficiency of PSII under fluctuating light, it did not increase carbon assimilation efficiency or yield, and transcriptome analysis revealed limited gene expression changes. The results suggest that VPZ‑mediated photosynthetic gains are insufficient to boost productivity under elevated CO2.

The study examined DNA methylation dynamics in Arabidopsis thaliana shoots and roots under heat, phosphate deficiency, and combined stress using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing, small RNA‑seq, and RNA‑seq. Distinct stress‑specific methylation patterns were identified, with heat and combined stress causing CHH hypomethylation, phosphate deficiency causing hyper‑ and hypomethylation in shoots and roots respectively, and the combined stress exhibiting a unique signature independent of additive effects. Methylation changes were concentrated in transposable elements and regulatory regions, implicating RdDM and CMT2 pathways and suggesting a role in chromatin accessibility rather than direct transcriptional control.