Phosphite (Phi) and phosphate (Pi) share the same root uptake system, but Phi acts as a biostimulant that modulates plant growth and disease resistance in a species‑ and Pi‑dependent manner. In Arabidopsis, Phi induces hypersensitive‑like cell death and enhances resistance to Plectosphaerella cucumerina, while in rice it counteracts Pi‑induced susceptibility to Magnaporthe oryzae and Fusarium fujikuroi, accompanied by extensive transcriptional reprogramming.
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.
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.
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.
The study examines how the SnRK1 catalytic subunit KIN10 integrates carbon availability with root growth regulation in Arabidopsis thaliana. Loss of KIN10 reduces glucose‑induced inhibition of root elongation and triggers widespread transcriptional reprogramming of metabolic and hormonal pathways, notably affecting auxin and jasmonate signaling under sucrose supplementation. These findings highlight KIN10 as a central hub linking energy status to developmental and environmental cues in roots.
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.