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 investigated unexpected leaf spot symptoms in Psa3‑resistant kiwifruit (Actinidia) germplasm, finding that Psa3 was detectable by qPCR and metabarcoding despite poor culturing. Metabarcoding revealed distinct bacterial community shifts in lesions versus healthy tissue, and whole‑genome sequencing identified diverse Pseudomonas spp. that, while not individually more pathogenic, could enhance Psa3 growth, suggesting pathogenic consortia on resistant hosts.