Phylogenetic analysis reveals that non‑seed plants, exemplified by the liverwort Marchantia polymorpha, possess a streamlined repertoire of cyclin and CDK genes, with only three cyclins active in a phase‑specific manner during vegetative development. Single‑cell RNA‑seq and fluorescent reporter assays, combined with functional overexpression studies, demonstrate the distinct, non‑redundant roles of MpCYCD;1, MpCYCA, and MpCYCB;1 in G1 entry, S‑phase progression, and G2/M transition, respectively.

The study functionally characterizes three tomato CNR/FWL proteins (SlFWL2, SlFWL4, SlFWL5) and demonstrates that SlFWL5 localizes to plasmodesmata, where it regulates leaf size and morphology by promoting cell expansion likely through cell‑to‑cell communication. Gain‑ and loss‑of‑function transgenic tomato lines reveal that SlFWL5 is a key regulator of organ growth via modulation of plasmodesmatal signaling.

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.

The study characterizes all seven malic enzyme genes in tomato, analyzing their tissue-specific expression, temperature and ethylene responsiveness, and linking specific isoforms to metabolic processes such as starch and lipid biosynthesis during fruit development. Phylogenetic, synteny, recombinant protein biochemical assays, and promoter analyses were used to compare tomato enzymes with Arabidopsis counterparts, revealing complex evolutionary dynamics that decouple phylogeny from functional orthology.

The study sampled 94 individuals from eight Atlantic Forest populations to assess morphological and genetic variation among Inga subnuda subspecies and the related Inga vera subsp. affinis. Using plastid trnD‑trnT spacer and nuclear ITS1/2 sequences, phylogenetic analyses revealed distinct structuring of I. subnuda subsp. subnuda and a cohesive group comprising I. subnuda subsp. luschnathiana and I. vera subsp. affinis, indicating retention of ancestral polymorphism from recent diversification and prompting a taxonomic revision of subsp. luschnathiana.

The study examined transcriptomic responses of the tropical seagrass Halophila stipulacea from a pristine and an impacted site under single and combined thermal and excess nutrient stress in mesocosms. Combined stress caused greater gene reprogramming than individual stresses, with thermal effects dominating and the impacted population showing reduced plasticity but higher resilience. Core stress‑response genes were identified as potential early field indicators of environmental stress.