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.
Phylogenomic challenges in polyploid-rich lineages: Insights from paralog processing and reticulation methods using the complex genus Packera (Asteraceae: Senecioneae)
Authors: Moore-Pollard, E. R., Ellestad, P., Mandel, J.
The study examined how polyploidy, hybridization, and incomplete lineage sorting affect phylogenetic reconstructions in the genus Packera, evaluating several published paralog‑processing pipelines. Results showed that the choice of orthology and paralog handling methods markedly altered tree topology, time‑calibrated phylogenies, biogeographic histories, and detection of ancient reticulation, underscoring the need for careful methodological selection alongside comprehensive taxon sampling.
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.