The study investigates the role of the chromatin regulator MpSWI3, a core subunit of the SWI/SNF complex, in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. A promoter mutation disrupts male gametangiophore development and spermiogenesis, causing enhanced vegetative propagation, and transcriptomic analysis reveals that MpSWI3 regulates genes controlling reproductive initiation, sperm function, and asexual reproduction, highlighting its ancient epigenetic role in balancing vegetative and reproductive phases.

The study investigates the role of two ATP-binding cassette transporters, MpABCG1 and MpABCG36, in the sequestration of specialized metabolites within oil bodies of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Loss‑of‑function mutants displayed reduced accumulation of sesquiterpenes and, specifically for MpABCG1, decreased levels of bis‑bibenzyls, while oil‑body formation remained largely unaffected, indicating these transporters are essential for metabolite accumulation rather than organelle biogenesis.

The study characterizes the single-copy S-nitrosoglutathione reductase 1 (MpGSNOR1) in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, showing that loss-of-function mutants generated via CRISPR/Cas9 exhibit marked morphological defects and compromised SNO homeostasis and immune responses. These findings indicate that GSNOR-mediated regulation of S‑nitrosylation is an ancient mechanism linking development and immunity in early land plants.

The researchers created tomato lines overexpressing the autophagy gene SlATG8f and evaluated their performance under high-temperature stress. qRT‑PCR and physiological measurements revealed that SlATG8f overexpression enhances expression of autophagy‑related and heat‑shock protein genes, accelerates fruit ripening, and improves fruit quality under heat stress.

The study identifies an autophagy pathway that degrades plasma membrane-derived clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs) during hyperosmotic stress, helping maintain membrane tension as cell volume decreases. Using live imaging and correlative microscopy, the authors show that the TPLATE complex subunits AtEH1/Pan1 and AtEH2/Pan1 act as selective autophagy receptors by directly binding ATG8, thereby removing excess membrane under drought or salt conditions.

The study examines how proteasomal degradation of A‑class and B‑class Auxin Response Factors (ARFs) is regulated in the bryophyte Marchantia polymorpha, identifying a key residue required for MpARF2 degradation that is also conserved in MpARF1. While disruption of MpARF2 degradation impairs development across life‑cycle stages, blocking MpARF1 degradation has minimal phenotypic impact, indicating divergent functional integration despite a shared degradation mechanism.

The study investigates autophagy’s protective role against cadmium stress in Arabidopsis thaliana by comparing wild-type, atg5 and atg7 autophagy-deficient mutants, and ATG5/ATG7 overexpression lines. Cadmium exposure triggered autophagy, shown by ATG8a-PE accumulation, GFP-ATG8a fluorescence and ATG gene up-regulation, with atg5 mutants displaying heightened Cd sensitivity and disrupted metal ion homeostasis, whereas overexpression had limited impact. Genotype-specific differences between Col-0 and Ws backgrounds were also observed.

The study introduces a native‑condition method combining cell fractionation and immuno‑isolation to purify autophagic compartments from Arabidopsis, followed by proteomic and lipidomic characterisation of the isolated phagophore membranes. Proteomic profiling identified candidate proteins linked to autophagy, membrane remodeling, vesicular trafficking and lipid metabolism, while lipidomics revealed a predominance of glycerophospholipids, especially phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol, defining the unique composition of plant phagophores.

The study identifies the Arabidopsis phospholipases LCAT3 and LCAT4 as essential components that hydrolyze membranes of autophagic bodies within the vacuole, a critical step for autophagy completion. Double mutants lacking both enzymes accumulate autophagic bodies and display diminished autophagic activity, while in vivo reconstitution shows LCAT3 initiates membrane hydrolysis, facilitating LCAT4’s function.

The study examined how osmotic stress and cytosolic Ca²⁺ signaling regulate autophagy in plants by monitoring the dynamics of RFP‑tagged ATG8i. Both stimuli altered the accumulation of RFP‑ATG8i‑labeled autophagosomes in an organ‑specific way, and colocalization with the ER marker HDEL indicated that ATG8i participates in ER‑phagy during stress.