The study employed ultra large‑scale 2D clinostats to grow tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants beyond the seedling stage under simulated microgravity and upright control conditions across five sequential trials. Simulated microgravity consistently affected plant growth, but the magnitude and direction of the response varied among trials, with temperature identified as a significant co‑variant; moderate heat stress surprisingly enhanced growth under simulated microgravity. These results highlight the utility of large‑scale clinostats for dissecting interactions between environmental factors and simulated microgravity in plant development.
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 study evaluated whether integrating genomic, transcriptomic, and drone-derived phenomic data improves prediction of 129 maize traits across nine environments, using both linear (rrBLUP) and nonlinear (SVR) models. Multi-omics models consistently outperformed single-omics models, with transcriptomic data especially enhancing cross‑environment predictions and capturing genotype‑by‑environment interactions. The results highlight the added value of combining transcriptomics and phenomics with genotypes for more accurate and generalizable trait prediction in maize.
The study investigated metabolic responses of kale (Brassica oleracea) grown under simulated microgravity using a 2-D clinostat versus normal gravity conditions. LC‑MS data were analyzed with multivariate tools such as PCA and volcano plots to identify gravity‑related metabolic adaptations and potential molecular markers for spaceflight crop health.
Authors: Ramires, M. J., Netherer, S., Schebeck, M., Hummel, K., Schlosser, S., Razzazi-Fazeli, E., Ertl, R., Ahmad, M., Espinosa-Ruiz, A., Carrera, E., Arc, E., Martinez-Godoy, M. A., Banos, J., Caballero, T., Ledermann, T., van Loo, M., Trujillo-Moya, C.
Using a controlled field experiment on clonal 35‑year‑old Norway spruce trees, the study examined molecular defense responses to Ips typographus attacks. A multi‑omics approach revealed rapid local increases in jasmonic acid and other phytohormones, leading to differential expression of up to 1,900 genes and corresponding proteomic and metabolomic changes that elevated deterrent compounds such as phenolic aglycones, diterpene resin acids, terpenes, and lignin.
Using integrated metabolomics, fluxomics, and proteomics, the study shows that Bamboo mosaic virus infection in Nicotiana benthamiana redirects carbon flux toward glycolysis and the TCA cycle, enhancing mitochondrial metabolism. Silencing the mitochondrial NAD⁺-dependent malic enzyme 1 disrupts cytoplasmic NADH/NAD⁺ balance and alters defense gene expression, indicating that mitochondrial redox regulation is crucial for antiviral defense.
Multi-Omics Analysis of Heat Stress-Induced Memory in Arabidopsis
Authors: Thirumlaikumar, V. P. P., Yu, L., Arora, D., Mubeen, U., Wisniewski, A., Walther, D., Giavalisco, P., Alseekh, S., DL Nelson, A., Skirycz, A., Balazadeh, S.
The study uses a high‑throughput comparative multi‑omics strategy to profile transcript, metabolite, and protein dynamics in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings throughout the heat‑stress memory (HSM) phase following acquired thermotolerance. Early recovery stages show rapid transcriptional activation of memory‑related genes, while protein levels stay elevated longer, and distinct metabolite patterns emerge, highlighting temporal layers of the memory process.
The study employed a multi‑omics workflow (transcriptomics, ribosome profiling, and proteomics) to uncover small peptides encoded by long non‑coding RNAs (LSEPs) in rice, finding that over 40% of surveyed lncRNAs associate with ribosomes. An optimized small‑peptide extraction followed by LC‑MS/MS identified 403 LSEPs, confirming the peptide‑coding capacity of plant lncRNAs and providing a scalable pipeline for large‑scale screening.
Revisiting the Central Dogma: the distinct roles of genome, methylation, transcription, and translation on protein expression in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Zhong, Z., Bailey, M., Kim, Y.-I., Pesaran-Afsharyan, N., Parker, B., Arathoon, L., Li, X., Rundle, C. A., Behrens, A., Nedialkova, D. D., Slavov, G., Hassani-Pak, K., Lilley, K. S., Theodoulou, F. L., Mott, R.
The study combined long‑read whole‑genome assembly, multi‑omics profiling (DNA methylation, mRNA, ribosome‑associated transcripts, tRNA abundance, and protein levels) in two Arabidopsis thaliana accessions to evaluate how genomic information propagates through the Central Dogma. Codon usage in gene sequences emerged as the strongest predictor of both mRNA and protein abundance, while methylation, tRNA levels, and ribosome‑associated transcripts contributed little additional information under stable conditions.
The study performed a comprehensive computational analysis of the Arabidopsis thaliana proteome, classifying 48,359 proteins by melting temperature (Tm) and melting temperature index (TI) and linking thermal stability to amino acid composition, molecular mass, and codon usage. Machine‑learning and evolutionary analyses revealed that higher molecular mass and specific codon pairs correlate with higher Tm, and that gene duplication has driven the evolution of high‑Tm proteins, suggesting a genomic basis for stress resilience.