The study generated a high-quality reference genome for the orphan vegetable Amaranthus tricolor using Illumina and PacBio sequencing, and combined this with a core collection to explore the genetic regulation of betalain biosynthesis under optimal and heat‑stress conditions. Transcriptomic analyses identified candidate gene ATR1.0ch03g000565 associated with CYP76AD1 as a key regulator, and revealed that heat stress down‑regulates CYP76AD1 and 5GT while up‑regulating cDOPA, leading to reduced betacyanin production.
The genome of the vining fern Lygodium microphyllum highlights genomic and functional differences between life phases of an invasive plant
Authors: Pelosi, J., Davenport, R., Kuo, L.-Y., Gray, L. N., Dant, A. J., Kim, E. H., Li, F.-W., Dlugosch, K. M., Krabbenhoft, T. J., Barbazuk, W. B., Sessa, E. B.
The study presents a chromosome-level reference genome for the invasive fern Lygodium microphyllum and compares the transcriptomic and epigenomic profiles of its haploid gametophyte and diploid sporophyte phases, revealing differential regulation of developmental genes and similar methylation patterns across tissues. Base‑pair resolution methylome data and freezing‑stress experiments show that each life phase employs distinct molecular pathways for stress response, emphasizing the importance of considering both phases in invasive‑species management.
Chromatin accessibility profiling and transcriptomics of Marchantia polymorpha heat‑shock transcription factor (HSF) mutants reveal that HSFA1 governs the placement of cis‑regulatory elements for heat‑induced gene activation, a mechanism conserved across plants, mice, and humans. Integrated gene regulatory network modeling identifies MpWRKY10 and MpABI5B as indirect regulators linking phenylpropanoid and stress pathways, while abscisic acid influences gene expression downstream of HSFA1 without broadly reshaping chromatin. A cross‑species, cross‑condition machine‑learning framework successfully predicts chromatin accessibility and expression, underscoring a conserved regulatory logic in stress responses.
The study investigates how miR394 influences flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana by combining transcriptomic profiling of mir394a mir394b double mutants with histological analysis of reporter lines. Bioinformatic analysis identified a novel lncRNA overlapping MIR394B (named MIRAST), and differential promoter activity of MIR394A and MIR394B suggests miR394 fine‑tunes flower development through transcription factor and chromatin remodeler regulation.
This review compiles experimental studies on wheat to assess how elevated CO₂, higher temperatures, and water deficit interact and affect productivity and water use. By calculating plasticity indices, the authors find that despite CO₂‑induced gains, overall yield generally declines under combined stress, while water consumption often decreases. They highlight the need for more data to improve and validate crop models under future climate scenarios.
The study demonstrates that differential transpiration (DT), wherein vegetative tissues reduce water loss while reproductive tissues maintain transpiration, occurs across most leaf developmental stages of soybean under combined water deficit and heat stress, even at extreme conditions (18% field water capacity and 42°C). DT effectively cools reproductive organs, protecting them from heat-induced damage, and may also function under milder water deficits during heat waves.
The study identified and biochemically characterized four Rubisco activase (Rca) isoforms in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and evaluated their performance during a simulated 5‑day heatwave (+10 °C). Rca10 and its beta variant displayed superior thermal stability, broader optimal temperature range, and enhanced ATP‑hydrolysis and Rubisco reactivation rates, suggesting they could be leveraged to improve cowpea thermotolerance under future climate extremes.