Authors: Orosz, J., Lin, E. X., Torres Ascurra, Y. C., Kappes, M., Lindsay, P. L., Bashyal, S., Everett, H., Gautam, C. K., Jackson, D., Mueller, L. M.
The study identifies the pseudokinase CRN in Medicago truncatula as a regulator of inflorescence meristem branching and a negative modulator of root interactions with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi, operating partially independently of the AM autoregulation CLE peptide MtCLE53. Transcriptomic profiling of crn mutant roots reveals disruptions in nutrient, symbiosis, and stress signaling pathways, highlighting the multifaceted role of MtCRN in plant development and environmental interactions.
Mycotoxin-driven proteome remodeling reveals limited activation of Triticum aestivum responses to emerging chemotypes integrated with fungal modulation of ergosterols
Authors: Ramezanpour, S., Alijanimamaghani, N., McAlister, J. A., Hooker, D., Geddes-McAlister, J.
The study used comparative proteomics to examine how the emerging 15ADON/3ANX chemotype of Fusarium graminearum affects protein expression in both wheat and the fungus. It identified a core wheat proteome altered by infection, chemotype‑specific wheat proteins, and fungal proteins linked to virulence and ergosterol biosynthesis, revealing distinct molecular responses influencing disease severity.
The study examined how varying temperature regimes, including cold deprivation and early cold exposure, affect dormancy onset and maintenance in sweet cherry (Prunus avium) flower buds. Phenological monitoring combined with transcriptomic analyses revealed that temperature drives dormancy progression, identifying specific genes and pathways responsive to cold, and uncovering a distinct shallow dormancy phase induced by cold deprivation with a unique molecular signature.
The study combined cell biology, transcriptomics, and ionomics to reveal that zinc deficiency reduces root apical meristem size while preserving meristematic activity and local Zn levels, leading to enhanced cell elongation and differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana. ZIP12 was identified as a highly induced gene in the zinc‑deficient root tip, and zip12 mutants displayed impaired root growth, altered RAM structure, disrupted Zn‑responsive gene expression, and abnormal metal partitioning, highlighting ZIP12’s role in maintaining Zn homeostasis and meristem function.
The study examined three fruit morphotypes of the desert shrub Haloxylon ammodendron, revealing distinct germination performances under salt and drought stress. Proteomic analysis identified 721 differentially expressed proteins, particularly between the YP and PP morphotypes, linking stress‑responsive protein abundance to rapid germination in YP and delayed germination in PP as contrasting adaptive strategies. The findings suggest that fruit polymorphism facilitates niche differentiation and informs germplasm selection for desert restoration.
The study profiled root transcriptomes of Arabidopsis wild type and etr1 gain-of-function (etr1-3) and loss-of-function (etr1-7) mutants under ethylene or ACC treatment, identifying 4,522 ethylene‑responsive transcripts, including 553 that depend on ETR1 activity. ETR1‑dependent genes encompassed ethylene biosynthesis enzymes (ACO2, ACO3) and transcription factors, whose expression was further examined in an ein3eil1 background, revealing that both ETR1 and EIN3/EIL1 pathways regulate parts of the network controlling root hair proliferation and lateral root formation.
The study tracked molecular changes in plastoglobules and thylakoids of Zea mays B73 during heat stress and recovery, revealing increased plastoglobule size, number, and adjacent lipid droplets over time. Proteomic and lipidomic analyses uncovered up‑regulation of specific plastoglobule proteins and alterations in triacylglycerol, plastoquinone derivatives, and phytol esters, suggesting roles in membrane remodeling and oxidative defense. These insights highlight plastoglobule‑associated pathways as potential targets for enhancing heat resilience in maize.
The study used transcriptomic and lipidomic profiling to investigate how chia (Salvia hispanica) leaves respond to short‑term (3 h) and prolonged (27 h) heat stress at 38 °C, revealing rapid activation of calcium‑signaling and heat‑shock pathways and reversible changes in triacylglycerol levels. Nearly all heat‑responsive genes returned to baseline expression after 24 h recovery, highlighting robust thermotolerance mechanisms that could inform improvement of other oilseed crops.
Arabidopsis lines with modified ascorbate concentrations reveal a link between ascorbate and auxin biosynthesis
Authors: Fenech, M., Zulian, V., Moya-Cuevas, J., Arnaud, D., Morilla, I., Smirnoff, N., Botella, M. A., Stepanova, A. N., Alonso, J. M., Martin-Pizarro, C., Amorim-Silva, V.
The study used Arabidopsis thaliana mutants with low (vtc2, vtc4) and high (vtc2/OE-VTC2) ascorbate levels to examine how ascorbate concentration affects gene expression and cellular homeostasis. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that altered ascorbate levels modulate defense and stress pathways, and that TAA1/TAR2‑mediated auxin biosynthesis is required for coping with elevated ascorbate in a light‑dependent manner.
The study identifies the serine/threonine protein kinase CIPK14/SNRK3.15 as a regulator of sulfate‑deficiency responses in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings, with mutants showing diminished early adaptive and later salvage responses under sulfur starvation. While snrk3.15 mutants exhibit no obvious phenotype under sufficient sulfur, the work provides a novel proteomic dataset comparing wild‑type and mutant seedlings under sulfur limitation.