Genetius

The study identified and validated systemic defense gene markers in hybrid aspen and silver birch by mining homologous biotic stress-response genes and testing their activation after leaf wounding and flagellin treatment in in‑vitro propagated clones. Early‑responsive genes LOX2, MPK3, and EIN2 were linked to wounding in silver birch, while JAZ10 and EIN2 marked combined flagellin‑wounding responses in hybrid aspen, establishing a reproducible platform for future forest‑tree stress research.

The study simulated the spatio‑temporal spread of banana bunchy top virus in Benin and evaluated a single‑year, country‑wide surveillance design, revealing that early detection is possible but costly (≈USD 100,000 yr⁻¹). Under a limited budget (USD 10,000 yr⁻¹), an optimal allocation of 500 sites with 10 samples each achieved a 75 % mean detection probability, albeit with up to a one‑year detection delay. The integrated simulation‑economic framework offers quantitative guidance for cost‑effective pathogen monitoring in smallholder systems.

The study demonstrates that the membrane‑localized kinase CRK5 acts as a negative regulator of salicylic‑acid‑mediated cell death and oxidative stress during dark‑induced senescence in Arabidopsis. Loss‑of‑function crk5 mutants exhibit accelerated senescence, heightened ROS accumulation, and altered antioxidant enzyme activities, phenotypes that are rescued by suppressing SA biosynthesis or catabolism, highlighting CRK5’s role in integrating hormonal and redox pathways.

The study maps phosphorylation of Arabidopsis thaliana RBR, showing that while most CDK‑site phosphorylations retain E2F binding, multi‑phosphorylation including the 911S site abolishes interaction with E2Fs and DREAM components and redirects RBR toward RNA‑binding proteins involved in ribosome biogenesis. The 911S phosphorylation peaks in proliferating cells and rapidly declines after DNA damage, suggesting it acts as a switch from proliferation to quiescence rather than the initial inhibitory event.

The study generated ten phosphomimetic variants of the Arabidopsis G protein subunit GPA1 to examine how phosphorylation influences its biochemical activity and developmental functions. In vitro assays showed that phosphovariants at S49 and S52 reduce GTP/GDP binding, while in vivo analyses revealed that morphological phenotypes are independent of nucleotide binding status and that different phosphomimetic sites confer distinct signaling outcomes, supporting a multi‑state model for GPA1 signaling.

The study presents a 2.0 Å X‑ray structure of a PsbO/V/U‑reconstituted Photosystem II from the cyanobacterium Thermosynechococcus vulcanus, showing that the overall Mn₄CaO₅ cluster geometry is maintained but with subtle bond changes and loss of key water molecules in the O1 channel. These structural perturbations, including altered bicarbonate interactions and disrupted hydrogen‑bond networks for water delivery, likely explain the reduced oxygen‑evolving activity of the reconstituted complex.

The study combines time‑resolved redox imaging with gas‑exchange measurements to show that darkness‑induced inactivation of carbon assimilation in plants depends on an oxygen‑dependent oxidative burst linked to PSI activity. Mutants lacking PGR5/PGRL1 display reduced oxidative bursts and less Calvin‑Benson cycle inhibition, indicating that the water‑water cycle supplies the transient oxidizing equivalents required for enzyme inactivation during the light‑to‑dark transition.

The study reveals that the interaction between spliceosomal proteins STA1 and DOT2 regulates nuclear speckle formation, pre‑mRNA splicing efficiency, and heat stress tolerance in Arabidopsis. A missense mutation in DOT2 restores this interaction in a sta1‑1 mutant, linking interaction strength to nuclear speckle organization and splicing robustness, especially under heat stress.

The study used automated minirhizotrons to image root length density twice daily over nine months in a temperate grassland, revealing continuous root growth with a seasonal shift toward net turnover in later months. A brief spring period showed root growth confined to daylight, coinciding with reduced soil moisture, suggesting that both internal carbon reserves and water availability govern short‑term and seasonal root dynamics.

The study establishes Aeschynomene evenia as a new model for dissecting legume immunity against the soilborne pathogen Aphanomyces euteiches and its interaction with Nod factor‑independent symbiosis. Transcriptomic profiling revealed thousands of differentially expressed genes involved in pathogen perception, signaling, and specialized metabolism, with overlapping signatures between defense and symbiosis pathways, and identified dual‑function kinases whose loss enhances resistance. These findings highlight A. evenia‑A. euteiches as a valuable system for investigating quantitative resistance and its crosstalk with symbiosis.