The authors compiled and standardized published data on Rubisco dark inhibition for 157 flowering plant species, categorizing them into four inhibition levels and analyzing phylogenetic trends. Their meta‑analysis reveals a complex, uneven distribution of inhibition across taxa, suggesting underlying chloroplast microenvironment drivers and providing a new resource for future photosynthesis improvement efforts.

The study presents a plant‑focused phylogenetic analysis of class B flavin‑dependent monooxygenases, identifying eight distinct families and revealing lineage‑specific diversification, especially in the NADPH‑binding domain. Using known FMOs as baits, they assembled flavin‑related proteins from key Viridiplantae lineages, performed domain architecture and motif analyses, and reclassified several families, providing a framework for future functional studies.

The study mapped drought‑responsive gene regulatory networks in Arabidopsis thaliana, its tolerant relative Arabidopsis lyrata, and Eutrema salsugineum using yeast one‑hybrid screens of orthologous promoters, revealing higher network connectivity and specific TF‑promoter interactions in the tolerant species. Notable findings include an Esa‑specific expansion of bZIP interactions, differential ABA‑signalling edges, and the identification of ASIL2 as a novel stress‑responsive factor, providing a comparative framework for improving crop drought tolerance.

The study generated a phenotypic dataset for 550 Lactuca accessions, including 20 wild relatives, and applied an iterative two‑step GWAS using a jointly processed SNP set for cultivated lettuce (L. sativa) and its wild progenitor (L. serriola) to dissect trait loci. Known and novel QTLs for anthocyanin accumulation, leaf morphology, and pathogen resistance were identified, with several L. serriola‑specific QTLs revealing unique genetic architectures, underscoring the breeding value of wild lettuce species.

The authors conducted a comprehensive phylogenetic and sequence analysis of the conserved YUCCA (YUC) gene family across representative plant lineages, classifying the family into six major classes and 41 subclasses. They linked YUC diversification to protein sequence conservation and spatial/temporal gene expression patterns, providing a framework for future functional investigations of auxin biosynthesis.