Genetius

The study used transcriptomic profiling to compare tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) responses to three evolutionarily distant pathogens—nematodes, aphids, and oomycetes—during compatible interactions, identifying differentially expressed genes and key host hubs. Integrating public datasets and performing co‑expression and GO enrichment analyses, the authors mapped shared dysregulation clusters and employed Arabidopsis interactome data to place tomato candidates within broader networks, highlighting potential targets for multi‑pathogen resistance.

The study generated a dataset of 420 sgRNAs targeting promoters, exons, and introns of 137 tomato genes in protoplasts, linking editing efficiency to chromatin accessibility, genomic context, and sequence features. Open chromatin sites showed higher editing rates, while transcriptional activity had little effect, and a subset of guides produced near‑complete editing with microhomology‑mediated deletions. Human‑trained prediction models performed poorly, highlighting the need for plant‑specific guide design tools.

The study examined Xanthomonas strains causing bacterial spot on tomato in Oklahoma fields during 2018‑2019, revealing a shift from X. euvesicatoria pv. euvesicatoria (Xee) to X. euvesicatoria pv. perforans (Xep) race T4, which also expanded to pepper. Phenotypic assays and whole‑genome sequencing highlighted differences in race composition, host range, copper sensitivity, and effector repertoires, and identified a novel species, Xanthomonas oklahomensis.

The study examined salt-induced alterations in root system architecture across a diverse panel of wild and cultivated tomato accessions, identifying tolerant varieties with distinct lateral root strategies. By combining Bulk Segregant Analysis of an F2 population with GWAS, the authors pinpointed 22 candidate genes, further narrowing to two key regulators through RNA‑Seq and functional assays involving ethylene and ROS profiling. These findings reveal genetic targets for improving salt resilience in tomato root development.

The study characterizes all seven malic enzyme genes in tomato, analyzing their tissue-specific expression, temperature and ethylene responsiveness, and linking specific isoforms to metabolic processes such as starch and lipid biosynthesis during fruit development. Phylogenetic, synteny, recombinant protein biochemical assays, and promoter analyses were used to compare tomato enzymes with Arabidopsis counterparts, revealing complex evolutionary dynamics that decouple phylogeny from functional orthology.