Genetius

The study examined DNA methylation dynamics in Arabidopsis thaliana shoots and roots under heat, phosphate deficiency, and combined stress using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing, small RNA‑seq, and RNA‑seq. Distinct stress‑specific methylation patterns were identified, with heat and combined stress causing CHH hypomethylation, phosphate deficiency causing hyper‑ and hypomethylation in shoots and roots respectively, and the combined stress exhibiting a unique signature independent of additive effects. Methylation changes were concentrated in transposable elements and regulatory regions, implicating RdDM and CMT2 pathways and suggesting a role in chromatin accessibility rather than direct transcriptional control.

The study examines how ectopic accumulation of methionine in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves, driven by a deregulated AtCGS transgene under a seed‑specific promoter, reshapes metabolism, gene expression, and DNA methylation. High‑methionine lines exhibit increased amino acids and sugars, activation of stress‑hormone pathways, and reduced expression of DNA methyltransferases, while low‑methionine lines show heightened non‑CG methylation without major transcriptional changes. Integrated transcriptomic and methylomic analyses reveal a feedback loop linking sulfur‑carbon metabolism, stress adaptation, and epigenetic regulation.

The study mapped the cis‑regulatory landscape of the winter rapeseed cultivar Express617, identifying thousands of novel regulatory elements and characterizing super‑enhancers that are asymmetrically enriched in the Cn subgenome of Brassica napus. An in‑silico pipeline combining population‑level expression data and machine‑learning models revealed that many SE‑associated genes are expressed above predicted levels, and structural variants disrupting SEs lead to reduced gene expression, highlighting their functional importance for gene regulation and breeding.

The study investigates the wheat Pm3 NLR allelic series, revealing that near-identical Pm3d and Pm3e alleles confer broad-spectrum resistance by recognizing multiple, structurally diverse powdery mildew effectors. Using chimeric NLR constructs, the authors pinpoint specificity-determining polymorphisms and demonstrate that engineered combinations of Pm3d and Pm3e further expand effector recognition, showcasing the potential for durable wheat protection through NLR engineering.

A genome-wide survey identified 217 EXO70 genes across five kiwifruit (Actinidia spp.) species, classifying them into three subfamilies and nine clades and revealing lineage‑specific expansions, especially in EXO70C, EXO70E, and EXO70H. Functional assays demonstrated that kiwifruit EXO70B1 interacts with the immune hub protein RIN4_1, suggesting a conserved EXO70‑RIN4 module in plant immunity. The study provides a foundational resource for exploring EXO70‑mediated disease resistance in kiwifruit.

The study shows that inoculation with the non‑diazotrophic bacterium Enterobacter sp. SA187 significantly improves Arabidopsis thaliana growth under low nitrate conditions by increasing fresh weight, primary root length, and lateral root density, while enhancing nitrate accumulation and reducing shoot C:N ratios. Transcriptomic and mutant analyses reveal that these benefits depend on ethylene signaling and the activity of high‑affinity nitrate transporters NRT2.5 and NRT2.6, indicating an ethylene‑mediated, HATS‑dependent reprogramming of nitrogen uptake.

The study integrated 16 Arabidopsis thaliana whole‑genome bisulfite sequencing datasets from 13 stress experiments using a unified bioinformatic pipeline to map common and stress‑specific DNA methylation changes. Differentially methylated regions varied by stress type and methylation context, with CG DMRs enriched in gene bodies and CHG/CHH DMRs in transposable elements, some of which overlapped loci prone to stable epimutations. Gene ontology and TE enrichment analyses highlighted shared stress pathways and suggest environmental stress can generate heritable epigenetic variation.

The study reveals that Arabidopsis ethylene receptors ETR1 and ERS1 function as Ca²⁺-permeable channels, with ETR1 specifically mediating ethylene‑induced cytosolic Ca²⁺ spikes that influence hypocotyl elongation. Homologous receptors from diverse land plants and algae also show Ca²⁺ permeability, and ethylene further enhances this activity, indicating a conserved regulatory role across the green lineage.

The study examined short‑term and transannual drought memory in cambium tissues of two Populus genotypes and four epitypes with modified DNA‑methylation machinery, revealing persistent hormone, transcript, and methylation changes one week after stress relief. Trees previously stressed in Year 1 displayed distinct physiological and molecular responses to a second drought in Year 2, indicating long‑term memory linked to stable CG‑context DNA methylation, with genotype‑dependent differences in plasticity and stability. These findings position the cambium as a reservoir for epigenetic stress memory and suggest exploitable epigenetic variation for tree breeding under drought.

The study demonstrates that ethylene signaling contributes to host resistance against the root parasitic plant Phelipanche aegyptiaca, as both water stress and parasitism activate ethylene responses in Arabidopsis roots. Application of the ethylene precursor ACC reduced parasite attachment, and mutants in ethylene signaling components (ETR1, CTR1) showed altered tolerance, highlighting ethylene-mediated defenses as a potential strategy for crop protection.