Genetius

The study demonstrates that salicylic acid (SA) restricts plant root growth through a mechanism requiring the transmembrane kinase TMK1, which leads to apoplastic alkalinization and inhibition of plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase phosphorylation. This SA effect operates independently of the auxin receptor ABP1, suggesting a novel SA-mediated pathway that balances stress responses with growth.

The study created transgenic Arabidopsis lines enabling inducible plasmodesmal closure via an overactive CALLOSE SYNTHASE3 allele (icals3m) and the C‑terminal domain of PDLP1, independent of pathogen signals. Induced closure triggered stress‑responsive gene expression, elevated salicylic acid levels, and enhanced resistance to Pseudomonas syringae, while also causing starch accumulation, reduced growth, and increased susceptibility to Botrytis cinerea, indicating that plasmodesmal closure itself can activate immune signaling.

The study used CRISPR/Cas9 to edit the downstream region of the Arabidopsis thaliana FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) gene, identifying a 2.3‑kb segment containing the Block E enhancer as crucial for normal FT expression and flowering. Fine‑scale deletions pinpointed a 63‑bp core module with CCAAT‑ and G‑boxes, and revealed a cryptic CCAAT‑box that becomes active when repositioned, highlighting the importance of local chromatin context and motif arrangement for enhancer function.

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 demonstrates that elevated endogenous salicylic acid (SA) levels suppress anthocyanin accumulation in Arabidopsis thaliana under anthocyanin‑inducing conditions, a effect confirmed by exogenous SA applications. Microscopic analysis of the 5gt mutant further reveals that high SA reduces the abundance of anthocyanin vesicular inclusions, suggesting that SA downstream signaling, independent of NPR1, mediates this inhibition.

The study reconstructed the evolutionary history of plant-specific GBF1-type ARF-GEFs by building phylogenetic trees and ortho‑synteny groups, identifying orthologs of AtGNOM and AtGNL1 across species. Functional analyses using transgenic Arabidopsis lines and yeast two‑hybrid assays revealed how duplication and loss events diversified GNOM paralogs, separating polar recycling from secretory trafficking functions.

The study investigated how varying concentrations of salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) together shape transcriptional responses, identifying 43 distinct expression patterns including novel combination-specific responses. A machine‑learning pipeline generated transcriptomic biomarkers that accurately estimate SA/JA response states, and these markers were validated using npr3/4 double mutants. The approach enables quantitative dissection of hormone signaling from large‑scale and single‑cell transcriptomic datasets.

The study introduces a CRISPR/Cas9‑based restoration system (CiRBS) that reactivates a disabled luciferase reporter (LUC40Ins26bp) in transgenic Arabidopsis, enabling long‑term single‑cell bioluminescence monitoring. Restoration occurs within 24 h after particle‑bombardment‑mediated CRISPR delivery, with ~7 % of cells regaining luminescence and most restored cells carrying a single correctly edited chromosome, facilitating reliable analysis of cellular gene‑expression heterogeneity.

The study reveals that the mobile immune signals azelaic acid (AzA) and N‑hydroxy‑pipecolic acid (NHP) differentially modulate salicylic acid (SA)–driven transcription, with NHP stabilizing the SA receptor NPR1 and dramatically enhancing SA‑mediated bacterial resistance via WRKY38/62 transcription factors. Loss of WRKY38/62 abolishes NHP’s potentiation of SA‑induced gene expression and immunity, indicating these WRKYs integrate mobile signals with SA signaling during systemic acquired resistance.

The study combines phylogenetic, structural, and functional analyses to trace the origin of the isochorismate (IC) pathway for salicylic acid biosynthesis to the Brassicales order, occurring between the divergence of Carica papaya and Capparis spinosa. It identifies three evolutionary adaptations—enhanced ICS enzymatic activity, neofunctionalization of the EDS5 transporter after gene duplication, and specialization of PBS3 for glutamate‑conjugation to IC—supported by salt‑bridge network modeling and amino‑acid substitution assessments.