Comparative multi-omics profiling of Gossypium hirsutum and Gossypium barbadense fibers at high temporal resolution reveals key differences in polysaccharide composition and associated glycosyltransferases
Authors: Swaminathan, S., Lee, Y., Grover, C. E., DeTemple, M. F., Mugisha, A. S., Sichterman, L. E., Yang, P., Xie, J., Wendel, J. F., Szymanski, D. B., Zabotina, O. A.
The study performed daily large-scale glycome, transcriptome, and proteome profiling of developing fibers from the two cultivated cotton species, Gossypium barbadense and G. hirsutum, across primary and secondary cell wall stages. It identified delayed cellulose accumulation and distinct compositions of xyloglucans, homogalacturonans, rhamnogalacturonan‑I, and heteroxylans in G. barbadense, along with higher expression of specific glycosyltransferases and expansins, suggesting these molecular differences underlie the superior fiber length and strength of G. barbadense.
The authors identified MpCAFA, a protein combining CAPS-like and FAP115-like domains, as a key factor for rapid ciliary swimming in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha spermatozoids. Loss-of-function mutants displayed markedly reduced swimming speed despite normal axoneme structure, chemotaxis, and fertility, and these defects were rescued by a MpCAFA‑mCitrine fusion that localized along the entire cilium. Both the CAPS-like and FAP115-like regions are required for MpCAFA’s function and ciliary targeting, establishing it as a major ciliary protein and a marker for visualizing spermatozoid motility.
The study investigated meristem activation in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, revealing that simulated shade causes alternating inactivity of meristems. Transcriptomic comparison of active versus inactive meristems identified the cytochrome P450 monooxygenase MpCYP78E1 as an inhibitor of meristem activity and initiation, with loss- and gain-of-function mutants confirming its regulatory role in shoot branching architecture.
The study demonstrates that MYB‑bHLH‑WDR transcriptional complexes (MBW) are present in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, indicating that such complexes originated before the diversification of land plants. Functional analyses reveal that two MYB paralogs, MpMYB14 and MpMYB02, rely on a single bHLH partner (MpbHLH12) to regulate flavonoid biosynthesis and liverwort‑specific oil body maturation, suggesting an ancestral role in pigment production and a derived role in organelle development.
The study evaluated how acute heat stress affects early-stage rice seedlings, identifying a critical temperature threshold that impairs growth. Transcriptomic profiling of shoots and roots revealed ethylene‑responsive factors (ERFs) as central regulators, with ethylene and jasmonic acid acting upstream, and pre‑treatment with these hormones mitigated heat damage. These findings highlight ERF‑hormone interaction networks as targets for improving rice heat resilience.
The authors adapted OpenPlant kit CRISPR/Cas9 tools to enable multiplex gRNA expression from a single transcript using tRNA sequences in the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, markedly enhancing editing efficiency and scalability. They coupled this vector system with a simplified, optimized thallus transformation protocol, providing a rapid and versatile platform for generating CRISPR/Cas9 mutants and advancing functional genomics in this model species.
Using the Euphorbia peplus genome, the authors performed organ‑specific transcriptomic profiling of the cyathium and combined it with gene phylogenies and dN/dS analysis to investigate floral‑development gene families. They found distinct SEP1 paralog expression, lack of E‑class gene duplications typical of other pseudanthia, and divergent expression patterns for CRC, UFO, LFY, AP3, and PI, suggesting unique developmental pathways in Euphorbia.
Arsenic-sensing domain controls ACR3 transporter trafficking and function in Marchantia polymorpha
Authors: Mizio, K., Bonter, I., Zbieralski, K., Dolzblasz, A., Tomaszewska, P., Staszewski, J., Wawrzycka, D., Reymer, A., Bialek, W., Kriechbaumer, V., Haseloff, J., Wysocki, R., Maciaszczyk-Dziubinska, E.
The study characterizes MpACR3, an ACR3 transporter from the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, demonstrating its role as a metalloid/proton antiporter that provides resistance to arsenic and moderate tolerance to antimony. The authors reveal an N‑terminal arsenic‑sensing domain that controls Golgi retention and plasma‑membrane trafficking via cysteine‑mediated conformational changes, and show that a conserved arginine motif influences both membrane accumulation and transport activity. These findings suggest a plant‑specific adaptation of ACR3 transporters to arsenic toxicity.
The study shows that heatwaves impair the ability of apple (Malus domestica) to mount ASM‑induced immunity against fire blight and apple scab, leading to a loss of protective gene expression. Transcriptomic analysis revealed a broad suppression of ASM‑regulated defense and other biological processes under high temperature, identifying thermo‑sensitive resistance and susceptibility marker genes. The findings highlight that elevated temperature both weakens plant defenses and creates a more favorable environment for pathogens.
The study used comparative transcriptomics to examine how Fusarium oxysporum isolates with different lifestyles on angiosperms regulate effector genes during infection of the non‑vascular liverwort Marchantia polymorpha. Core effector genes on fast core chromosomes are actively expressed in the bryophyte host, while lineage‑specific effectors linked to angiosperm pathogenicity are silent, and disruption of a compatibility‑associated core effector alters the expression of other core effectors, highlighting conserved fungal gene networks across plant lineages.