The study investigates the gene regulatory network (GRN) controlling flowering time in the allotetraploid crop Brassica napus by comparing its transcriptome to that of Arabidopsis thaliana. While most orthologous gene pairs show conserved expression dynamics, several flowering‑time genes display regulatory divergence, especially under cold conditions, indicating subfunctionalisation among paralogues. Despite these differences, the overall GRN topology remains similar to Arabidopsis, likely due to retention of multiple paralogues.
The study employed ultra large‑scale 2D clinostats to grow tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) plants beyond the seedling stage under simulated microgravity and upright control conditions across five sequential trials. Simulated microgravity consistently affected plant growth, but the magnitude and direction of the response varied among trials, with temperature identified as a significant co‑variant; moderate heat stress surprisingly enhanced growth under simulated microgravity. These results highlight the utility of large‑scale clinostats for dissecting interactions between environmental factors and simulated microgravity in plant development.
The study reveals that rice perceives Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae outer membrane vesicles through a rapid calcium signal that triggers plasma‑membrane nanodomain formation and the re‑organisation of defence‑related proteins, establishing an early immune response. Without this Ca2+ signal, OMVs are not recognized and immunity is weakened.
The study compares the iron-poor oceanic diatom Thalassiosira oceanica with the iron-rich coastal species T. pseudonana to uncover how diatoms adapt to low-iron conditions. Using photo‑physiological measurements, proteomic profiling, and focused ion beam scanning electron microscopy, the researchers show that each species remodels chloroplast compartments and exhibits distinct mitochondrial architectures to maintain chloroplast‑mitochondrial coupling under iron limitation.
CLPC2 plays specific roles in CLP complex-mediated regulation of growth, photosynthesis, embryogenesis and response to growth-promoting microbial compounds
Authors: Leal-Lopez, J., Bahaji, A., De Diego, N., Tarkowski, P., Baroja-Fernandez, E., Munoz, F. J., Almagro, G., Perez, C. E., Bastidas-Parrado, L. A., Loperfido, D., Caporalli, E., Ezquer, I., Lopez-Serrano, L., Ferez-Gomez, A., Coca-Ruiz, V., Pulido, P., Morcillo, R. J. L., Pozueta-Romero, J.
The study demonstrates that the plastid chaperone CLPC2, but not its paralogue CLPC1, is essential for Arabidopsis responsiveness to microbial volatile compounds and for normal seed and seedling development. Loss of CLPC2 alters the chloroplast proteome, affecting proteins linked to growth, photosynthesis, and embryogenesis, while overexpression of CLPC2 mimics CLPC1 deficiency, highlighting distinct functional roles within the CLP protease complex.
The authors compiled and standardized published data on Rubisco dark inhibition for 157 flowering plant species, categorizing them into four inhibition levels and analyzing phylogenetic trends. Their meta‑analysis reveals a complex, uneven distribution of inhibition across taxa, suggesting underlying chloroplast microenvironment drivers and providing a new resource for future photosynthesis improvement efforts.
The study used comparative transcriptomics of dorsal and ventral petals across development, alongside expression profiling in floral symmetry mutants, to identify genes linked to dorsal (AmCYC-dependent) and ventral (AmDIV-dependent) identities in Antirrhinum majus. In situ hybridisation validated axis‑specific and boundary‑localized expression patterns, revealing that a conserved NGATHA‑LIKE1‑BRASSINAZOLE‑RESISTANT1‑miR164 module has been co‑opted to regulate AmDIV targets and shape the corolla. These findings delineate regulatory modules coordinating dorsoventral and proximal‑distal patterning in zygomorphic flowers.
The study investigated how barley (Hordeum vulgare) adjusts mitochondrial respiration under salinity stress using physiological, biochemical, metabolomic and proteomic approaches. Salt treatment increased respiration and activated the canonical TCA cycle, while the GABA shunt remained largely inactive, contrasting with wheat responses.
The study sequenced genomes of ericoid mycorrhiza‑forming liverworts and experimentally reconstituted the symbiosis, revealing a nutrient‑regulated state that supports intracellular colonization. Comparative transcriptomics identified an ancestral gene module governing intracellular symbiosis, and functional validation in Marchantia paleacea through genetic manipulation, phylogenetics, and transactivation assays confirmed its essential role. The findings suggest plants have retained and independently recruited this ancestral module for diverse intracellular symbioses.
The study generated deep proteome and phosphoproteome datasets from guard cell‑enriched tissue to examine how phosphorylation regulates stomatal movements. Comparative analysis revealed increased phosphorylation of endomembrane trafficking and vacuolar proteins in closed stomata, supporting a role for phospho‑regulated trafficking in stomatal dynamics.