The study examined how DNA methylation influences cold stress priming in Arabidopsis thaliana, revealing that primed plants exhibit distinct gene expression and methylation patterns compared to non-primed plants. DNA methylation mutants, especially met1 lacking CG methylation, showed altered cold memory and misregulation of the CBF gene cluster, indicating that methylation ensures transcriptional precision during stress recall.

The study reveals that rice perceives Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae outer membrane vesicles through a rapid calcium signal that triggers plasma‑membrane nanodomain formation and the re‑organisation of defence‑related proteins, establishing an early immune response. Without this Ca2+ signal, OMVs are not recognized and immunity is weakened.

The study isolated outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) from the beneficial bacterium Paraburkholderia phytofirmans PsJN and demonstrated their direct interaction and membrane fusion with root hairs and epidermal cells of Arabidopsis thaliana and tomato using fluorescent labeling and confocal microscopy. These results suggest that bacterial OMVs may play a crucial role in early root colonization and the establishment of symbiotic relationships, offering potential for eco‑friendly agricultural applications.