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 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 applied spatial transcriptomics to map the transcriptional landscape of wheat (Triticum aestivum) inflorescences during spikelet development, revealing two distinct regions—a RAMOSA2‑active primordium and an ALOG1‑expressing boundary. Developmental assays showed that spikelets arise from meristematic zones accompanied by vascular rachis formation, identifying key regulators that could be targeted to improve spikelet number and yield.
An optimized workflow was developed to apply the Xenium in situ sequencing platform to formalin‑fixed paraffin‑embedded (FFPE) sections of Medicago truncatula roots and nodules, incorporating customized tissue preparation, probe design, and imaging to overcome plant‑specific challenges such as cell wall autofluorescence. The protocol was validated across nodule developmental stages using both a 50‑gene panel for mature cell identity and an expanded 480‑gene panel covering multiple cell types, providing a scalable high‑resolution spatial transcriptomics method adaptable to other plant systems.
The study applied the STOmics spatial transcriptomics platform to map gene expression at subcellular resolution in developing wheat (Triticum aestivum) seeds during grain filling, analyzing over four million transcripts. Eight functional cellular groups were identified, including four distinct endosperm clusters with radial expression patterns and novel marker genes, and subgenome‑biased expression was observed among specific paralogs. These results highlight spatial transcriptomics as a powerful tool for uncovering tissue‑specific and polyploid‑specific gene regulation in seeds.
Spatial and single-cell transcriptomics capture two distinct cell states in plant immunity
Authors: Hu, Y., Schaefer, R., Rendleman, M., Slattery, A., Cramer, A., Nahiyan, A., Breitweiser, L., Shah, M., Kaehler, E., Yao, C., Bowling, A., Crow, J., May, G., Tabor, G., Thatcher, S., Uppalapati, S. R., Muppirala, U., Deschamps, S.
The study combined spatial transcriptomics and single-nuclei RNA sequencing to map soybean (Glycine max) responses to Asian soybean rust caused by Phakopsora pachyrhizi, revealing two distinct host cell states: pathogen‑occupied regions and adjacent non‑infected regions that show heightened defense gene expression. Gene co‑expression network analysis identified a key immune‑related module active in the stressed cells, highlighting a cell‑non‑autonomous defense mechanism.
Imputation integrates single-cell and spatial gene expression data to resolve transcriptional networks in barley shoot meristem development
Authors: Demesa-Arevalo, E., Dorpholz, H., Vardanega, I., Maika, J. E., Pineda-Valentino, I., Eggels, S., Lautwein, T., Kohrer, K., Schnurbusch, T., von Korff, M., Usadel, B., Simon, R.
The study uses an imputation strategy that integrates deep single-cell RNA sequencing with spatial gene expression data to map transcriptional dynamics across barley inflorescence development at cellular resolution. By leveraging the BARVISTA web interface, the authors identify key transcriptional events in meristem founder cells, characterize complex branching mutants, and reconstruct spatio‑temporal trajectories of flower organogenesis, offering insights for targeted trait manipulation.
Modulation of the GT Family 47 clade B gene affects arabinan deposition in elaters of Marchantia polymorpha
Authors: Kang, H. S. F., Lampugnani, E. R., Tong, X., Prabhakar, P. K., Flores-Sandoval, E., Hansen, J., Jorgensen, B., Bowman, J. L., Urbanowicz, B. R., Ebert, B., Persson, S.
The study investigates the function of two GT47B arabinan arabinosyltransferases in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, generating loss‑of‑function and overexpression lines to assess cell wall composition. Using CoMPP, glycosyl linkage analysis, and LM6 immunolabelling, the authors found that MpARADL2 mutants have reduced 1,5‑L‑arabinan epitopes in elaters despite unchanged overall 5‑linked Araf levels, suggesting additional enzymes compensate in thallus tissue. Attempts to express and purify the enzymes in HEK293 cells failed, implying a clade‑specific solubility requirement and highlighting the need to identify interacting partners.
The Building Blocks of Early Land Plants: Glycosyltransferases and Cell Wall Architecture in the model liverwort Marchantia polymorpha
Authors: Kang, H. S. F., Tong, X., Mariette, A., Leong, M., Beahan, C., Flores-Sandoval, E., Pedersen, G., Rautengarten, C., Bowman, J. L., Ebert, B., Bacic, A., Doblin, M., Persson, S., Lampugnani, E. R.
The study characterizes the composition and structure of cell wall glycans in eight tissue types of the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, revealing both typical land‑plant features and unique traits such as abundant (1,5)-arabinan in sporophytes and low overall pectin levels. Comparative genomic analysis shows a diversified glycosyltransferase repertoire relative to Arabidopsis, and the authors created a Gateway‑compatible library of 93 M. polymorpha GTs to facilitate future functional studies.