The study characterizes the distinct and overlapping roles of the rice PI paralogs OsMADS2 and OsMADS4 in lodicule specification, flowering time, and floral organ development by analyzing null and double mutants and overexpression lines. Genome-wide binding (ChIP‑seq) and transcriptome (RNA‑seq) analyses identified downstream targets involved in cell division, cell wall remodeling, and osmotic regulation that underpin the observed phenotypes. These findings reveal novel functions for PI paralogs in reproductive development and highlight mechanisms of transcription factor diversification in Oryza sativa.
The study investigates the role of the Arabidopsis transcription factor AtMYB93 in sulfur (S) signaling and root development, revealing that AtMYB93 mutants exhibit altered expression of S transport and metabolism genes and increased shoot S levels, while tomato plants overexpressing SlMYB93 show reduced shoot S. Transcriptomic profiling, elemental analysis, and promoter activity assays indicate that AtMYB93 contributes to root responses to S deprivation, though functional redundancy masks clear phenotypic effects on lateral and adventitious root formation.
The study performed transcriptome profiling of Cryptomeria japonica individuals from different geographic origins grown in three common gardens across Japan, assembling 77,212 transcripts guided by the species' genome. Using SNP-based genetic clustering and weighted gene co‑expression network analysis, they identified gene modules whose expression correlated with genetic differentiation, revealing that defense‑related genes are up‑regulated in Pacific‑side populations while terpenoid metabolism genes are higher in Sea‑of‑Japan populations, indicating local adaptation via regulatory changes.