The study generated a dataset of 420 sgRNAs targeting promoters, exons, and introns of 137 tomato genes in protoplasts, linking editing efficiency to chromatin accessibility, genomic context, and sequence features. Open chromatin sites showed higher editing rates, while transcriptional activity had little effect, and a subset of guides produced near‑complete editing with microhomology‑mediated deletions. Human‑trained prediction models performed poorly, highlighting the need for plant‑specific guide design tools.
The authors used a bottom‑up thermodynamic modelling framework to investigate how plants decode calcium signals, starting from Ca2+ binding to EF‑hand proteins and extending to higher‑order decoding modules. They identified six universal Ca2+-decoding modules that can explain variations in calcium sensitivity among kinases and provide a theoretical basis for interpreting calcium signal amplitude and frequency in plant cells.
The study examines how ectopic accumulation of methionine in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves, driven by a deregulated AtCGS transgene under a seed‑specific promoter, reshapes metabolism, gene expression, and DNA methylation. High‑methionine lines exhibit increased amino acids and sugars, activation of stress‑hormone pathways, and reduced expression of DNA methyltransferases, while low‑methionine lines show heightened non‑CG methylation without major transcriptional changes. Integrated transcriptomic and methylomic analyses reveal a feedback loop linking sulfur‑carbon metabolism, stress adaptation, and epigenetic regulation.
Uncovering the Molecular Regulation of Seed Development and Germination in Endangered Legume Paubrasilia echinata Through Proteomic and Polyamine Analyses
Authors: Vettorazzi, R. G., Carrari-Santos, R., Sousa, K. R., Oliveira, T. R., Grativol, C., Olimpio, G., Venancio, T. M., Pinto, V. B., Quintanilha-Peixoto, G., Silveira, V., Santa-Catarna, C.
The study examined seed maturation and germination in the endangered legume Paubrasilia echinata using proteomic and polyamine analyses at 4, 6, and 8 weeks post-anthesis, identifying over 2,000 proteins and linking specific polyamines to developmental stages. Mature seeds (6 weeks) showed elevated proteasome components, translation machinery, LEA proteins, and heat shock proteins, while polyamine dynamics revealed putrescine dominance in early development and spermidine/spermine association with desiccation tolerance and germination. These findings uncover dynamic molecular shifts underlying seed development and provide insights for conservation and propagation.
The study integrates genome, transcriptome, and chromatin accessibility data from 380 soybean accessions to dissect the genetic and regulatory basis of symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF). Using GWAS, TWAS, eQTL mapping, and ATAC-seq, the authors identify key loci, co‑expression modules, and regulatory elements, and validate the circadian clock gene GmLHY1b as a negative regulator of nodulation via CRISPR and CUT&Tag. These resources illuminate SNF networks and provide a foundation for soybean improvement.
The study shows that the SnRK1 catalytic subunit KIN10 directs tissue-specific growth‑defense programs in Arabidopsis thaliana by reshaping transcriptomes. kin10 knockout mutants exhibit altered root transcription, reduced root growth, and weakened defense against Pseudomonas syringae, whereas KIN10 overexpression activates shoot defense pathways, increasing ROS and salicylic acid signaling at the cost of growth.