Six new Viola species and two reinstated species from China were identified using field surveys, detailed morphological comparison, and phylogenetic analysis of ITS and GPI gene sequences, placing them in section Plagiostigma subsect. Diffusae. The GPI data offered higher resolution, indicating complex relationships possibly due to ancient hybridization or incomplete lineage sorting, thereby clarifying species boundaries and evolutionary patterns in Chinese Viola.

The study provides a comprehensive genome-wide catalog and single‑cell expression atlas of the carbonic anhydrase (CA) gene family in maize, identifying 18 CA genes across α, β, and γ subfamilies and detailing their structural and regulatory features. Phylogenetic, synteny, promoter motif, bulk tissue RNA‑seq, and single‑cell RNA‑seq analyses reveal distinct tissue and cell‑type specific expression patterns, highlighting β‑CAs as key players in C4 photosynthesis and γ‑CAs in ion/pH buffering, and propose cell‑type‑specific CA genes as targets for improving stress resilience.

The study presents a plant‑focused phylogenetic analysis of class B flavin‑dependent monooxygenases, identifying eight distinct families and revealing lineage‑specific diversification, especially in the NADPH‑binding domain. Using known FMOs as baits, they assembled flavin‑related proteins from key Viridiplantae lineages, performed domain architecture and motif analyses, and reclassified several families, providing a framework for future functional studies.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis indicated that diatom Lhcx proteins share a common ancestor with green algal Lhcsrs, suggesting acquisition via horizontal gene transfer. Knockout of the Lhcx1 gene in the diatom Chaetoceros gracilis almost eliminated non‑photochemical quenching and revealed that Lhcx1 mediates quenching in detached antenna complexes, while also influencing PSII quantum yield and carbon fixation under high‑light conditions. These findings elucidate the evolutionary origin and mechanistic role of Lhcx‑mediated photoprotection in diatoms.

The study employed computational approaches to characterize the SUMOylation (ULP) machinery in Asian rice (Oryza sativa), analyzing phylogenetic relationships, transcriptional patterns, and protein structures across the reference genome, a population panel, and wild relatives. Findings reveal an expansion of ULP genes in cultivated rice, suggesting selection pressure during breeding and implicating specific ULPs in biotic and abiotic stress responses, providing resources for rice improvement.

The study shows that the membrane lipids PI4P, PI(4,5)P2, and phosphatidylserine have distinct spatial and temporal dynamics during lateral root primordium formation in Arabidopsis thaliana, with PI4P acting as a stable basal lipid, PI(4,5)P2 serving as a negative regulator of initiation, and phosphatidylserine increasing after founder cell activation. Using live-cell biosensors, genetic mutants, and an inducible PI(4,5)P2 depletion system, the authors demonstrate that reducing PI(4,5)P2 enhances lateral root initiation and development.

Researchers isolated a fungal pathogen from a naturally infected Rumex crispus leaf in Japan and identified it as Teratoramularia rumicicola using morphological traits and phylogenetic analysis of ITS and LSU rDNA sequences. Host range tests showed the isolate (TR4) caused disease and reduced biomass in three Rumex species but was harmless to five tested forage crops, indicating its potential as a selective bioherbicide for pasture systems.

Large-scale bioinformatics identified a new class of transmembrane phosphotransfer proteins (TM‑HPt) across 61 plant species, showing conserved HPt motifs and potential activity in multistep phosphorelay signaling. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred via Bayesian DNA analysis, expression was validated by transcriptomics, and molecular modeling suggested possible membrane-associated structural arrangements.

The study presents a high-quality genome assembly for the nickel hyperaccumulator Noccaea caerulescens and uses it as a reference for comparative transcriptomic analyses across different N. caerulescens accessions and the non‑accumulating relative Microthlaspi perfoliatum. It identifies a limited set of metal transporters (NcHMA3, NcHMA4, NcIREG2, and NcIRT1) whose elevated expression correlates with hyperaccumulation, and demonstrates that frameshift mutations in NcIRT1 can abolish the trait, indicating an ancient, transporter‑driven origin of nickel hyperaccumulation.

The study identifies a novel C-terminal FR motif in Lotus japonicus NODULE INCEPTION (NIN) that expands DNA‑binding specificity by stabilizing the RWP‑RK dimer, and shows that loss of this motif impairs nodulation and nitrogen fixation. Comparative analysis reveals that Arabidopsis NLP2 also possesses a NIN‑type FR, and phylogenetic data suggest the motif originated in early gymnosperms, indicating it predates the evolution of root nodule symbiosis.