Genetius

The study maps the in vivo proximity interactome of Arabidopsis SKP1-LIKE 1 (ASK1) under acute abscisic acid (ABA) signaling and prolonged drought using TurboID-based proximity labeling and quantitative proteomics, revealing condition-specific networks that include both canonical SCF modules and diverse noncanonical partners. Overexpression of ASK1 shifts proteome composition toward drought‑protective and ABA‑responsive proteins while repressing immune and ROS‑scavenging pathways, highlighting ASK1 as a hub that integrates SCF‑dependent and independent pathways to reprogram transcription, translation, and proteostasis during stress adaptation.

The study integrates multi-omics data from six Sorghum bicolor accessions under field drought to link RNA covalent modifications (RCMs) with photosynthetic performance, identifying the enzyme SbDUS2 that produces dihydrouridine (DHU) on transcripts. Loss‑of‑function dus2 mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana reveal that DHU deficiency leads to hyperstability of photosynthesis‑related mRNAs, impairing germination, development, and stress‑induced CO2 assimilation. The authors propose DHU as a post‑transcriptional mark that promotes rapid mRNA turnover during abiotic stress, enhancing plant resilience.

The study applied a progressive, sublethal drought treatment to Arabidopsis thaliana, collecting time‑resolved phenotypic and transcriptomic data. Machine‑learning analysis revealed distinct drought stages driven by multiple overlapping transcriptional programs that intersect with plant aging, and identified high‑explanatory‑power transcripts as biomarkers rather than causal agents.

The authors established a live‑cell imaging platform that combines confocal microscopy of genetically encoded fluorescent protein biosensors with on‑stage illumination to monitor pH, MgATP²⁻, and NADH/NAD⁺ dynamics during dark‑light transitions in Arabidopsis mesophyll cells. They discovered that photosynthetic proton pumping triggers a stromal alkalinization wave extending to the cytosol and mitochondria, elevates MgATP²⁻ levels, and drives reduction of the NAD pool, with malate dehydrogenase mutants showing altered cytosolic redox even in darkness. This methodological advance enables high‑resolution mapping of photosynthesis‑linked energy physiology across cellular compartments.

RNA‑Seq was used to compare Arabidopsis thaliana transcriptomes under drought, Meloidogyne incognita infection, and their combination, revealing a distinct set of genes uniquely regulated by the joint stress. Notably, AZI1, SAUR71, and DRN1 showed stress‑specific expression patterns, suggesting key roles in coordinating responses to simultaneous drought and nematode attack.

The study compared photosynthetic performance and carbon metabolism in mature versus immature leaves of Arabidopsis thaliana accessions from different latitudes under standard and low‑temperature/high‑light conditions. Leaf‑specific measurements of Fv/Fm and CO2 assimilation revealed distinct acclimation capacities, and integration of carbohydrate and carboxylic‑acid profiles into a carbon balance model indicated that mature leaves help stabilize metabolism in younger tissue. The authors emphasize the importance of accounting for intra‑rosette heterogeneity to avoid misleading metabolic interpretations.

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.