The study characterizes the chloroplast‑localized protein AT4G33780 in Arabidopsis thaliana using CRISPR/Cas9 knockout and overexpression lines, revealing tissue‑specific expression and context‑dependent effects on seed germination, seedling growth, vegetative development, and root responses to nickel stress. Integrated transcriptomic (RNA‑seq) and untargeted metabolomic analyses show extensive transcriptional reprogramming—especially of cell‑wall genes—and altered central energy metabolism, indicating AT4G33780 coordinates metabolic state with developmental regulation rather than controlling single pathways.

The study characterizes a radiation‑induced root‑suppressed (Rs) mutant in tomato that displays dwarfism and pleiotropic defects in leaves, flowers, and fruits. Metabolite profiling and rescue with H2S donors implicate disrupted sulfur metabolism, and whole‑genome sequencing identifies promoter mutations in two root‑meristem‑specific sulfotransferase genes as likely contributors to the root phenotype.

The study shows that nitrogen deficiency markedly elevates the exudation of the triterpenoid Solanoeclepin A (SolA) from tomato roots, a process that requires non‑sterile soil and involves the rhizosphere microbiota. Transient silencing of two candidate biosynthetic genes (CYP749A19 and CYP749A20) reduced SolA levels and impaired recruitment of beneficial Massilia spp., which promote plant growth under nitrogen limitation, indicating that SolA acts as a microbe‑mediated recruitment signal that was co‑opted by cyst nematodes.

The study identifies members of the REMORIN protein family as inhibitors of plasma membrane H⁺‑ATPases, leading to extracellular pH alkalinization that modulates cell surface processes such as steroid hormone signaling and coordinates root developmental transitions in Arabidopsis thaliana. This inhibition represents an ancient mechanism predating root evolution, suggesting that extracellular pH patterning has shaped plant morphogenesis.

The study examined how dual‑purpose hemp (Cannabis sativa) adjusts to different phosphate levels, showing that flower biomass is maintained unless phosphate is completely removed. Integrated physiological measurements and transcriptomic profiling revealed that phosphate is reallocated to flowers via glycolytic bypasses and organic phosphate release, while key regulatory genes followed expected patterns but did not suppress uptake at high phosphate, leading to nitrate depletion that limits growth.

The study tests whether heavy‑metal stress contributed to maize domestication by exposing teosinte (Zea mays ssp. parviglumis) and the Palomero toluqueno landrace to sublethal copper and cadmium, then analysing genetic diversity, selection signatures, and transcriptomic responses of three chromosome‑5 heavy‑metal response genes (ZmHMA1, ZmHMA7, ZmSKUs5). Results reveal strong positive selection on these genes, heavy‑metal‑induced phenotypes resembling modern maize, and up‑regulation of Tb1, supporting a role for volcanic‑derived metal stress in early maize evolution.

The study used untargeted metabolomics and QTL mapping in a tomato recombinant inbred line population to characterize root exudate composition and identify genetic loci controlling specific metabolites. It reveals domestication-driven changes in exudate profiles and links metabolic QTLs with previously reported microbial QTLs, suggesting a genetic basis for shaping the root microbiome.

The authors used a bottom‑up thermodynamic modelling framework to investigate how plants decode calcium signals, starting from Ca2+ binding to EF‑hand proteins and extending to higher‑order decoding modules. They identified six universal Ca2+-decoding modules that can explain variations in calcium sensitivity among kinases and provide a theoretical basis for interpreting calcium signal amplitude and frequency in plant cells.

Using ten Phaeodactylum tricornutum mutant strains with graded constitutive Lhcx1 expression, the study links NPQ induction under high light to physiological outcomes (oxidized QA, increased cyclic electron flow) and extensive transcriptomic reprogramming, affecting nearly half the genome. The approach demonstrates that higher NPQ mitigates PSII damage, boosts ATP production for repair, and drives distinct gene regulatory networks, providing a model framework for dissecting photosynthetic and gene expression integration.

The study establishes a tractable system using the large bloom-forming diatom Coscinodiscus granii and its natural oomycete parasite Lagenisma coscinodisci, enabling manual isolation of single host cells and stable co-cultures. High‑quality transcriptomes for both partners were assembled, revealing diverse oomycete effectors and a host transcriptional response involving proteases and exosome pathways, while also profiling the co‑occurring heterotrophic flagellate Pteridomonas sp. This tripartite platform provides a unique marine model for dissecting molecular mechanisms of oomycete‑diatom interactions.