Proteomic comparison of mock‑ and potato spindle tuber viroid‑infected tomato revealed a broad down‑regulation of nucleoporins and nuclear transport receptors, leading to impaired nuclear import of the immune regulator NPR1. Overexpression of NPR1 or treatment with a salicylic‑acid analog restored defense and reduced PSTVd infection, highlighting nuclear transport repression as a key vulnerability in plant immunity against viroids.
The study used host-mediated artificial selection to iteratively enrich rice-associated microbiomes that improve growth and drought tolerance, starting from diverse soil microbial communities. Over multiple generations, selected microbiomes converged, and amplicon sequencing along with metagenome-assembled genomes identified specific bacterial taxa and functional pathways (e.g., glycerol-3-phosphate and iron transport) linked to enhanced drought performance. The results demonstrate the effectiveness of plant phenotype-driven microbiome engineering for crop improvement.
Light on its feet: Acclimation to high and low diurnal light is flexible in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Dupuis, S., Chastain, J. L., Han, G., Zhong, V., Gallaher, S. D., Nicora, C. D., Purvine, S. O., Lipton, M. S., Niyogi, K. K., Iwai, M., Merchant, S. S.
The study examined how prior light‑acclimation influences the fitness and rapid photoprotective reprogramming of Chlamydomonas during transitions between low and high diurnal light intensities. While high‑light‑acclimated cells struggled to grow and complete the cell cycle after shifting to low light, low‑light‑acclimated cells quickly remodeled thylakoid ultrastructure, enhanced photoprotective quenching, and altered photosystem protein levels, recovering chloroplast function within a single day. Transcriptomic and proteomic profiling revealed swift induction of stress‑response genes, indicating high flexibility in diurnal light acclimation.
DECREASE IN DNA METHYLATION 1-mediated epigenetic regulation maintains gene expression balance required for heterosis in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Matsuo, K., Wu, R., Yonechi, H., Murakami, T., Takahashi, S., Kamio, A., Akter, M. A., Kamiya, Y., Nishimura, K., Matsuura, T., Tonosaki, K., Shimizu, M., Ikeda, Y., Kobayashi, H., Seki, M., Dennis, E. S., Fujimoto, R.
The study demonstrates that the chromatin remodeler DDM1 is essential for biomass heterosis in Arabidopsis thaliana hybrids, as loss of DDM1 function leads to reduced rosette growth and extensive genotype‑specific transcriptomic and DNA methylation changes. Whole‑genome bisulfite sequencing revealed widespread hypomethylation in ddm1 mutants, while salicylic acid levels were found unrelated to heterosis, indicating that epigenetic divergence, rather than SA signaling, underpins hybrid vigor.
Comparative gene regulatory network mapping of Brassicaceae members with differential drought tolerance
Authors: Pandiarajan, R., Lin, C.-W., Sauer, M., Rothballer, S. T., Marin-de la Rosa, N., Schwehn, P., Papadopoulou, E., Mairhormann, B., Falter-Braun, P.
The study mapped drought‑responsive gene regulatory networks in Arabidopsis thaliana, its tolerant relative Arabidopsis lyrata, and Eutrema salsugineum using yeast one‑hybrid screens of orthologous promoters, revealing higher network connectivity and specific TF‑promoter interactions in the tolerant species. Notable findings include an Esa‑specific expansion of bZIP interactions, differential ABA‑signalling edges, and the identification of ASIL2 as a novel stress‑responsive factor, providing a comparative framework for improving crop drought tolerance.
The study isolated an endophytic Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain (SPT08) from tomato cotyledon seedlings that suppressed the wilt pathogen Ralstonia pseudosolanacearum and promoted plant growth, increasing height by 20% and root biomass by 60%. GFP labeling confirmed endophytic colonization, and genomic analysis revealed multiple secretion systems and secondary‑metabolite gene clusters associated with biocontrol and growth‑promoting traits.
The study evaluated drought tolerance and yield stability of eleven Andean amaranth genotypes (A. caudatus and A. mantegazzianus) across four agroecological zones in Northwest Argentina under irrigated and drought‑stressed conditions. Using linear mixed models and AMMI analysis, significant genotype and genotype‑by‑environment effects were detected, identifying several breeding lines with high yield and stability as well as a highly stable but low‑yielding landrace. The results highlight both broad and specific adaptation among amaranth genotypes for drought‑prone environments.
The study applied a progressive, sublethal drought treatment to Arabidopsis thaliana, collecting time‑resolved phenotypic and transcriptomic data. Machine‑learning analysis revealed distinct drought stages driven by multiple overlapping transcriptional programs that intersect with plant aging, and identified high‑explanatory‑power transcripts as biomarkers rather than causal agents.
Salt stress strongly suppresses root growth in Festuca rubra while sparing shoot development. Transcriptome profiling identified over 68,000 differentially expressed genes, with up‑regulated genes enriched in methionine, melatonin, and suberin biosynthesis and down‑regulated genes involved in gibberellin, ABA, and sugar signaling, indicating extensive hormonal and metabolic reprogramming. Paradoxical regulation of gibberellin and ethylene pathways suggests a finely tuned balance between growth and stress responses.
The study integrates genome, transcriptome, and chromatin accessibility data from 380 soybean accessions to dissect the genetic and regulatory basis of symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF). Using GWAS, TWAS, eQTL mapping, and ATAC-seq, the authors identify key loci, co‑expression modules, and regulatory elements, and validate the circadian clock gene GmLHY1b as a negative regulator of nodulation via CRISPR and CUT&Tag. These resources illuminate SNF networks and provide a foundation for soybean improvement.