Genetius

The study maps the in vivo proximity interactome of Arabidopsis SKP1-LIKE 1 (ASK1) under acute abscisic acid (ABA) signaling and prolonged drought using TurboID-based proximity labeling and quantitative proteomics, revealing condition-specific networks that include both canonical SCF modules and diverse noncanonical partners. Overexpression of ASK1 shifts proteome composition toward drought‑protective and ABA‑responsive proteins while repressing immune and ROS‑scavenging pathways, highlighting ASK1 as a hub that integrates SCF‑dependent and independent pathways to reprogram transcription, translation, and proteostasis during stress adaptation.

The study integrates multi-omics data from six Sorghum bicolor accessions under field drought to link RNA covalent modifications (RCMs) with photosynthetic performance, identifying the enzyme SbDUS2 that produces dihydrouridine (DHU) on transcripts. Loss‑of‑function dus2 mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana reveal that DHU deficiency leads to hyperstability of photosynthesis‑related mRNAs, impairing germination, development, and stress‑induced CO2 assimilation. The authors propose DHU as a post‑transcriptional mark that promotes rapid mRNA turnover during abiotic stress, enhancing plant resilience.

The authors performed a progressive, sublethal drought experiment in Arabidopsis thaliana, integrating large‑scale phenotyping with time‑resolved transcriptomics and machine‑learning analysis. They identified distinct drought stages governed by multiple, largely gradual transcriptional programs that overlap with the plant aging program, and found that transcripts strongly predictive of phenotypes serve as biomarkers rather than causal drivers.

RNA‑Seq was used to compare Arabidopsis thaliana transcriptional responses to drought, infection by the root‑knot nematode Meloidogyne incognita, and their simultaneous occurrence, revealing a distinct gene set activated only under combined stress. Genes such as AZI1, SAUR71, and DRN1 showed unique regulation patterns, suggesting specific roles in mediating plant adaptation to concurrent abiotic and biotic challenges.

The study constructs a ~1‑million‑cell single‑nuclei transcriptome atlas of Arabidopsis leaves to reveal that drought stress accelerates transcriptional programs associated with maturation and aging, thereby limiting leaf growth in proportion to stress intensity. Targeted upregulation of FERRIC REDUCTION OXIDASE 6 in mesophyll cells partially rescues leaf growth under drought, demonstrating the functional relevance of these transcriptional changes.