The study characterizes a conserved RNA structural element named DEAD within DEAD-box helicase genes in land plants, showing that it functions as a sensor of helicase activity to regulate alternative splicing in Arabidopsis thaliana. By modulating the folding of DEAD, the plant balances helicase transcript and protein levels via a negative feedback loop, and loss of this regulation leads to widespread splicing disruptions and severe stress phenotypes.
Field experiments combined with RNA sequencing revealed that wheat ploidy influences heat stress resilience, with tetraploid T. turgidum showing the smallest yield loss and hexaploid T. aestivum mounting the largest transcriptional response. Ploidy-dependent differences were observed in differential gene expression, alternative splicing—including hexaploid-specific exon skipping of NF‑YB—and co‑expression networks linked to grain traits, highlighting candidate pathways for breeding heat‑tolerant wheat.
Full-length transcriptome atlas of Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus reveals novel genes and alternative splicing in tissue-specific biosynthesis of ocotillol-type saponins
The study generated the first tissue‑specific full‑length transcriptome atlas for Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus using combined PacBio SMRT and Illumina RNA‑Seq, uncovering 281,468 transcripts and 8,089 novel genes. Twenty‑one candidate genes in triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis were identified, along with extensive alternative splicing events that appear to modulate tissue‑specific production of ocotillol‑type ginsenosides.
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 employed ultra large‑scale 2D clinostats to grow tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants beyond the seedling stage under simulated microgravity and upright control conditions across five sequential trials. Simulated microgravity consistently affected plant growth, but the magnitude and direction of the response varied among trials, with temperature identified as a significant co‑variant; moderate heat stress surprisingly enhanced growth under simulated microgravity. These results highlight the utility of large‑scale clinostats for dissecting interactions between environmental factors and simulated microgravity in plant development.
The study demonstrates that the interaction between spliceosomal proteins STA1 and DOT2 controls nuclear speckle organization, pre‑mRNA splicing efficiency, and heat‑stress tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana. A missense mutation in DOT2 restores the weakened STA1‑DOT2 interaction in the sta1‑1 mutant, linking interaction strength to speckle formation and transcriptome‑wide intron retention under heat stress, while pharmacological inhibition of STA1‑associated speckles reproduces the mutant phenotypes. These findings reveal a heat‑sensitive interaction node that couples spliceosome assembly to nuclear speckle dynamics and splicing robustness.
The study identifies the extended NT‑C2 domain of Plastid Movement Impaired 1 (PMI1) as the main membrane‑binding module that interacts with PI4P and PI(4,5)P2, requiring basic residues for plasma‑membrane association. Calcium binding by the NT‑C2 domain modulates its phosphoinositide preference, and cytosolic Ca2+ depletion blocks blue‑light‑induced PMI1 redistribution, indicating that both the NT‑C2 domain and adjacent intrinsically disordered regions are essential for PMI1’s role in chloroplast movement.
The study identified a heat‑responsive exon‑skipping event in the basic Helix‑Loop‑Helix domain of the transcription factor PIF4, which reduces PIF4 activity and promotes photomorphogenic traits in etiolated seedlings. This reveals a novel post‑transcriptional mechanism by which plants modulate PIF4 function during heat stress.
In vivo binding by Arabidopsis SPLICING FACTOR 1 shifts 3' splice site choice, regulating circadian rhythms and immunity in plants
Authors: Agrofoglio, Y. C., Iglesias, M. J., de Leone, M. J., Hernando, C. E., Lewinski, M., Torres, S. B., Contino, G., Yanovsky, M. J., Staiger, D., Mateos, J. L.
The study characterizes the plant spliceosomal protein AtSF1 in Arabidopsis thaliana, using iCLIP and RNA‑seq to map its in vivo branch point binding sites and demonstrate that loss of AtSF1 causes widespread 3' splice‑site mis‑selection. Structural comparison reveals a plant‑specific domain architecture, and the identified AtSF1 targets are enriched for circadian and defense genes, linking splicing regulation to timing and immunity.