Transcriptional responses of Solanum lycopersicum to three distinct parasites reveal host hubs and networks underlying parasitic successes
Authors: Truch, J., Jaouannet, M., Da Rocha, M., Kulhanek-Fontanille, E., Van Ghelder, C., Rancurel, C., Migliore, O., Pere, A., Jaubert, S., Coustau, C., Galiana, E., Favery, B.
The study used transcriptomic profiling to compare tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) responses to three evolutionarily distant pathogens—nematodes, aphids, and oomycetes—during compatible interactions, identifying differentially expressed genes and key host hubs. Integrating public datasets and performing co‑expression and GO enrichment analyses, the authors mapped shared dysregulation clusters and employed Arabidopsis interactome data to place tomato candidates within broader networks, highlighting potential targets for multi‑pathogen resistance.
Root-Suppressed Phenotype of Tomato Rs Mutant is Seemingly Related to Expression of Root-Meristem-Specific Sulfotransferases
Authors: Kumari, A., Gupta, P., Santisree, P., Pamei, I., Valluri,, S., Sharma, K., Venkateswara Rao, K., Shukla, S., Nama, S., Sreelakshmi, Y., Sharma, R.
The study characterizes a radiation‑induced root‑suppressed (Rs) mutant in tomato that displays dwarfism and pleiotropic defects in leaves, flowers, and fruits. Metabolite profiling and rescue with H2S donors implicate disrupted sulfur metabolism, and whole‑genome sequencing identifies promoter mutations in two root‑meristem‑specific sulfotransferase genes as likely contributors to the root phenotype.
The study profiled the maize (Zea mays) endosperm transcriptome for the first four days after pollination using laser-capture microdissection, revealing temporal co‑expression modules including a fertilization‑activated subset. Network analyses linked MYB‑related transcription factors to basal endosperm transfer layer (BETL) differentiation and E2F transcription factors, together with TOR‑dependent sugar sensing, to early endosperm proliferation and kernel size variation.
An ancient alkalinization factor informs Arabidopsis root development
Authors: Xhelilaj, K., von Arx, M., Biermann, D., Parvanov, A., Faiss, N., Monte, I., Klingelhuber, F., Zipfel, C., Timmermans, M., Oecking, C., Gronnier, J.
The study identifies members of the REMORIN protein family as inhibitors of plasma membrane H⁺‑ATPases, leading to extracellular pH alkalinization that modulates cell surface processes such as steroid hormone signaling and coordinates root developmental transitions in Arabidopsis thaliana. This inhibition represents an ancient mechanism predating root evolution, suggesting that extracellular pH patterning has shaped plant morphogenesis.
RNA sequencing of the halophyte Salicornia europaea revealed that combined hypoxia‑salt stress triggers a unique transcriptional response, with 16% of genes specifically altered and distinct synergistic, antagonistic, and additive effects across functional pathways. Metabolic analyses indicated enhanced sucrose and trehalose metabolism, a shift toward lactate fermentation, and increased proline synthesis, highlighting complex regulatory strategies for coping with concurrent stresses.
In a controlled dry-down experiment, Arabis sagittata showed significantly higher recovery from drought than the endangered Arabis nemorensis, a difference that could not be traced to a single major QTL, indicating a polygenic basis. Transcriptome and small‑RNA sequencing revealed that A. sagittata mounts a stronger transcriptional response, including species‑specific regulation of the conserved drought miRNA miR408, and machine‑learning identified distinct cis‑regulatory motif patterns underlying these divergent stress‑response networks.
The study examined whether colonisation by the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Rhizophagus irregularis primes immune responses in barley against the leaf rust pathogen Puccinia hordei. While AMF did not affect disease severity or plant growth, co‑infected leaves showed heightened expression of defence genes and transcriptome reprogramming, including altered protein ubiquitination, indicating a priming mechanism. These results highlight transcriptional and post‑translational pathways through which AMF can enhance barley disease resistance for sustainable crop protection.
The study examined how soil phosphorus and nitrogen availability influence wheat root-associated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal (AMF) communities and the expression of mycorrhizal nutrient transporters. Field sampling across two years combined with controlled pot experiments showed that P and N jointly affect AMF colonisation, community composition (with Funneliformis dominance under high P), and regulation of phosphate, ammonium, and nitrate transporters. Integrating metabarcoding and RT‑qPCR provides a framework to assess AMF contributions to crop nutrition.
The study profiled root transcriptomes of Arabidopsis wild type and etr1 gain-of-function (etr1-3) and loss-of-function (etr1-7) mutants under ethylene or ACC treatment, identifying 4,522 ethylene‑responsive transcripts, including 553 that depend on ETR1 activity. ETR1‑dependent genes encompassed ethylene biosynthesis enzymes (ACO2, ACO3) and transcription factors, whose expression was further examined in an ein3eil1 background, revealing that both ETR1 and EIN3/EIL1 pathways regulate parts of the network controlling root hair proliferation and lateral root formation.
Molecular and Phenotypic Characterization of Telomere Repeat Binding (TRBs) Proteins in Moss: Evolutionary and Functional Perspectives
Authors: Kusova, A., Hola, M., Goffova Petrova, I., Rudolf, J., Zachova, D., Skalak, J., Hejatko, J., Klodova, B., Prerovska, T., Lycka, M., Sykorova, E., Bertrand, Y. J. K., Fajkus, J., Honys, D., Prochazkova Schrumpfova, P.
The study characterizes telomere repeat binding (TRB) proteins in the model moss Physcomitrium patens, demonstrating that individual PpTRB genes are essential for normal protonemal and gametophore development and that loss of TRBs leads to telomere shortening, mirroring findings in seed plants. Transcriptome analysis of TRB mutants shows altered expression of genes linked to transcription regulation and stimulus response, while subcellular localization confirms nuclear residence and mutual interaction of PpTRBs, underscoring their conserved role in telomere maintenance across land plants.