Prevention of severe COVID-19 disease by SARS-CoV-2 in high-risk patients, such as immuno-compromised individuals, can be achieved by administration of antibody prophylaxis, but producing antibodies can be costly. Plant expression platforms allow substantial lower production costs compared to traditional bio-manufacturing platforms depending on mammalian cells in bioreactors. In this study, we describe

The ability to control and account for environmental conditions is essential when conducting ecological experiments. Two frequent approaches are pot and field experiments. Pot experiments under common garden conditions are excellent for detecting distinct plant responses to specific experimental treatments. Even maternal effects can be accounted for if plants are grown under the same conditions over

Plant pigments are diverse natural molecules involved in numerous biological functions such as development, growth, and metabolism. As plants age, not only new organs will be formed, but also, they will acquire the necessary pigments in response to the environment and endogenous programming in order to achieve reproductive success. Among the endogenous cues, the small RNAs (sRNAs), an endogenous group

DELAY OF GERMINATION1 (DOG1) is a critical regulator of seed dormancy and seed thermoinhibition. However, how DOG1 expression is regulated by post-translational modifications and how seeds transmit the high-temperature signal to DOG1 remain largely unknown. ALFIN1-like 6/7 (AL6/7) was previously found to repress DOG1 expression during seed imbibition. Here, we found that AL6/7 represses seed dormancy

Legumes establish nitrogen-fixing symbioses with rhizobia. On the contrary, they can be attacked concomitantly by pathogens, raising the question of potential trade-offs between mutualism and immunity. In order to study such trade-offs, we used a tripartite system involving the model legume Lotus japonicus, its rhizobial symbiont Mesorhizobium loti and the soilborne pathogen Ralstonia solanacearum

Introduction The current food supply chain experiences major losses at the postharvest level due to both injury and infection by pathogenic fungi (Lipinski et al., 2013; Zhang et al., 2021). Tomato is a major global commodity, with 182.3 million tons of fruit produced in 2019 (FAO, 2019). However, its yield is heavily restricted due to pathogens, and 50% of yield loss occurs at the postharvest stage

Tanshinones, isolated from Salvia miltiorrhiza, is efficient to treat cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Abscisic acid (ABA) treatment is found to promote tanshinone biosynthesis; however, the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated. A protein kinase namely SmAPK1 was identified as an important positive regulator of ABA-induced tanshinone accumulation in S. miltiorrhiza. Using

Retrospective information about plant ecophysiology and the climate system are key inputs in Earth system and vegetation models. Dendrochronology provides such information with large spatiotemporal coverage, and carbon-isotope analysis across tree-ring series is among the most advanced dendrochronological tools. For the past 70 years, this analysis was performed on whole molecules and, to this day

The functions of many genes in model plants are unknown. Traditional methods to infer function are showing their limitations, but other approaches are emerging.

SummaryResistant starch (RS) is a special kind of starch with beneficial effects on obesity, type 2 diabetes and other chronic complications. Breeding high‐RS rice varieties is considered a valuable way to improve public health. However, most rice cultivars only contain an RS level lower than 2% in cooked rice, and cloning of RS genes is critical to improve RS levels in rice. The loss of function of

Summary Leaf dark respiration (Rdark), an important yet rarely quantified component of carbon cycling in forest ecosystems, is often simulated from leaf traits such as the maximum carboxylation capacity (Vcmax), leaf mass per area (LMA), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) concentrations, in terrestrial biosphere models. However, the validity of these relationships across forest types remains to be thoroughly

Summary Adaptive radiation in Ophrys orchids leads to complex floral phenotypes that vary in scent, color and shape. Using a novel pipeline to quantify these phenotypes, we investigated trait divergence at early stages of speciation in six populations of Ophrys aveyronensis experiencing recent allopatry. By integrating different genetic/genomic techniques, we investigated: variation and integration

Summary We investigate the impact of a 20‐yr irrigation on root water uptake (RWU) and drought stress release in a naturally dry Scots pine forest. We use a combination of electrical resistivity tomography to image RWU, drone flights to image the crown stress and sensors to monitor soil water content. Our findings suggest that increased water availability enhances root growth and resource use efficiency

Nitrogen (N) scarcity frequently constrains global biomass productivity. N deficiency halts cell division, downregulates photosynthetic electron transfer, and enhances carbon storage. However, the molecular mechanism downregulating photosynthesis during N deficiency and its relationship with carbon storage are not fully understood. Proton Gradient Regulator-like 1 (PGRL1) controlling cyclic electron

Light signaling plays a substantial role in regulating plant development, including the differentiation and elongation of single-celled tissue. However, the identity of the regulatory machine that affects light signaling on root hair cell (RHC) development remains unclear. Here, we investigated how darkness inhibits differentiation and elongation of RHC in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). We found

CELL DIVISION CYCLE 5 (CDC5) is a R2R3-type MYB transcription factor, serving as a key component of Modifier of snc1, 4 (MOS4)-associated complex (MAC)/NineTeen Complex (NTC), which is associated with plant immunity, RNA splicing, and miRNA biogenesis. In this study, we demonstrate that mutation of CDC5 accelerates flowering in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). CDC5 activates the expression of FLOWERING

SummaryVery‐long‐chain (VLC) alkanes are major components of hydrophobic cuticular waxes that cover the aerial epidermis of land plants, serving as a waterproofing barrier to protect the plant against environmental stresses. The mechanism of VLC‐alkane biosynthesis has been extensively elucidated in plants. However, little is known about the biosynthesis of long‐chain alkanes (LC, C13 ~ C19) such as

PhasiRNAs (phased, small interfering RNAs) play a crucial role in supporting male fertility in grasses. Earlier work in maize (Zea mays) and rice (Oryza sativa) – and subsequently many other plant species – identified premeiotic 21-nt and meiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs. More recently, a group of premeiotic 24-nt phasiRNAs was discovered in the anthers of two Pooideae species, barley (Hordeum vulgare) and

Summary Replicated trait evolution can provide insights into the mechanisms underlying the evolution of biodiversity. One example of replicated evolution is the awn, an organ elaboration in grass inflorescences. Awns are likely homologous to leaf blades. We hypothesized that awns have evolved repeatedly because a conserved leaf blade developmental program is continuously activated and suppressed over

Summary Cross‐kingdom RNA interference (ckRNAi) is a mechanism of interspecies communication where small RNAs (sRNAs) are transported from one organism to another; these sRNAs silence target genes in trans by loading into host AGO proteins. In this work, we investigated the occurrence of ckRNAi in Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Symbiosis (AMS). We used an in silico prediction analysis to identify a sRNA (Rir2216)

Summary A dodder (Cuscuta) often simultaneously parasitizes two or more adjacent hosts. Phosphate (Pi) deficiency is a common stress for plants, and plants often interact with soil microbes, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), to cope with Pi stress. Little is known about whether dodder transmits Pi deficiency‐induced systemic signals between different hosts. In this study, dodder‐connected

Summary Localized clathrin mediated endocytosis is vital for secretion and wall deposition in apical growing plant cells. Adaptor and signalling proteins, along with phosphoinositides, are known to play a regulatory, yet poorly defined role in this process. Here we investigated the function of Arabidopsis ECA4 and EPSIN3, putative mediators of the process, in pollen tubes and root hairs. Homozygous

Nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) proteins are intracellular immune receptors that activate innate immune responses upon sensing pathogen attack. However, the molecular mechanisms by which NLR proteins initiate downstream signal transduction pathways to counteract pathogen invasion remain poorly understood. In this study, we identified the wheat (Triticum aestivum) NLR protein Resistance

In wheat (Triticum aestivum), early maturity is desired to avoid the hot and dry summer season, especially in view of climate change. Here, we report that TaE3V1, a C3H2C3 RING-type E3 ligase that interacts with TaVRN1, is associated with early development. Aside from its RING domain, TaE3V1 does not harbor any domains that are conserved in other RING-type or other E3 ligase proteins. TaE3V-B1b, encoded

SummaryAs global temperatures rise, improving crop yields will require enhancing the thermotolerance of crops. One approach for improving thermotolerance is using bioengineering to increase the thermostability of enzymes catalysing essential biological processes. Photorespiration is an essential recycling process in plants that is integral to photosynthesis and crop growth. The enzymes of photorespiration

Summary Temperatures perceived early in the life cycle of mother plants can affect the germination of the offspring seeds. In Arabidopsis thaliana, vernalisation‐insensitive mutants showed altered germination response to elevated maternal temperature, hence revealing a strong genetic determinism. However, the genetic control of this maternal effect and its prevalence across natural populations remain

SummaryThe origin story of land plants – the pivotal evolutionary event that paved the way for terrestrial ecosystems of today to flourish – lies within their closest living relatives: the streptophyte algae. Streptophyte cell wall composition has evolved such that profiles of cell wall polysaccharides can be used as taxonomic markers. Since xyloglucan is restricted to the streptophyte lineage, we

Summary Numerous herbivore‐induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) play important roles in plant defense. In tea plants (Camellia sinensis), (Z)‐3‐hexenyl acetate (3‐HAC) has been characterized as associated with resistance to herbivores. To date, how tea plants biosynthesize and regulate 3‐HAC to resist herbivores remain unclear. Based on transcriptomes assembled from Ectropis obliqua‐fed leaves, a cDNA encoding

Summary Long noncoding RNAs, including intergenic lncRNAs (lincRNAs), play a key role in various biological processes throughout the plant life cycle, and the advent of single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) technology has opened up a valuable avenue for scrutinizing the intricate roles of lincRNAs in cellular processes. Here, we identified a new batch of lincRNAs using scRNA‐seq data from diverse

Seed dormancy, an essential trait for plant adaptation, is determined by the embryo itself and the surrounding tissues. Here, we found that rice (Oryza sativa) FERTILIZATION INDEPENDENT ENDOSPERM1 (OsFIE1) regulates endosperm-imposed dormancy and the dorsal aleurone thickness in a manner dependent on the parent of origin. Maternally expressed OsFIE1 suppresses gibberellin (GA) biosynthesis in the endosperm

Summary Chromosomal inversions can preserve combinations of favorable alleles by suppressing recombination. Simultaneously, they reduce the effectiveness of purifying selection enabling deleterious alleles to accumulate. This study explores how areas of low recombination, including centromeric regions and chromosomal inversions, contribute to the accumulation of deleterious and favorable loci in 225

SummaryThe genetic improvement of rice eating and cooking quality (ECQ) is an important goal in rice breeding. It is important to understand the genetic regulation of ECQ at the genomic level for effective breeding to improve ECQ. However, the mechanisms underlying the improvement of ECQ of indica and japonica cultivars in southern China remain unclear. In this study, 290 rice cultivars (155 indica

SummaryDirect human activity and global climatic changes are threatening the existence of many vegetated habitats. Seedling establishment, one of the riskiest plant life stages, must be successful for such habitats to persist. The establishment of seedlings is known to be enhanced by nurse effects, but most studies to date have looked at the nursing effects of plants while sidelining inanimate objects

Summary Here, we investigated the molecular genetic basis of mite domatia, structures on the underside of leaves that house mutualistic mites, and intraspecific variation in domatia size in Vitis riparia (riverbank grape). Domatia and leaf traits were measured, and the transcriptomes of mite domatia from two genotypes of V. riparia with distinct domatia sizes were sequenced to investigate the molecular

SummaryPhotoperiod is an environmental signal that varies predictably across the year. Therefore, the duration of sunlight available for photosynthesis and in turn the ability of plants to accumulate carbon resources also fluctuates across the year. To adapt to these variations in photoperiod, the metabolic daylength measurement (MDLM) system measures the photosynthetic period rather than the absolute

Summary Photoprotection in plants includes processes collectively known as nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ), which quench excess excitation‐energy in photosystem II. NPQ is triggered by acidification of the thylakoid lumen, which leads to PsbS‐protein protonation and violaxanthin de‐epoxidase activation, resulting in zeaxanthin accumulation. Despite extensive study, questions persist about the mechanisms

Summary In Arabidopsis thaliana, the asymmetric cell division (ACD) of the zygote gives rise to the embryo proper and an extraembryonic suspensor, respectively. This process is controlled by the ERECTA‐YODA‐MPK3/6 receptor kinase‐MAP kinase‐signaling pathway, which also orchestrates ACDs in the epidermis. In this context, the bHLH transcription factor ICE1/SCRM is negatively controlled by MPK3/6‐directed

Summary Differences in soil mobility and assimilation costs between organic and inorganic nitrogen (N) compounds would hypothetically induce plant phenotypic plasticity to optimize acquisition of, and performance on, the different N forms. Here we evaluated this hypothesis experimentally and theoretically. We grew Arabidopsis in split‐root setups combined with stable isotope labelling to study uptake

Temperature is an environmental cue that entrains the circadian clock, adapting it to local thermal and photoperiodic conditions that characterize different geographic regions. Circadian clock thermal adaptation in leafy vegetables such as Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa ssp. pekinensis) is poorly understood but essential to sustain and increase vegetable production under changing climates. We investigated

SummaryCrop diseases cause significant quality and yield losses to global crop products each year and are heavily controlled by chemicals along with very limited antibiotics composed of small molecules. However, these methods often result in environmental pollution and pest resistance, necessitating the development of new bio‐controlling products to mitigate these hazards. To identify effective antimicrobial

Alternative transcription initiation (ATI) appears to be a ubiquitous regulatory mechanism of gene expression in eukaryotes. However, the extent to which it affects the products of gene expression and how it evolves and is regulated remain unknown. Here, we report genome-wide identification and analysis of transcription start sites (TSSs) in various soybean (Glycine max) tissues using a survey of transcription

Anthocyanins affect quality in fruits such as grape (Vitis vinifera). High temperatures reduce anthocyanin levels by suppressing the expression of anthocyanin biosynthesis genes and decreasing the biosynthetic rate. However, the regulatory mechanisms that coordinate these two processes remain largely unknown. In this study, we demonstrate that high-temperature-mediated inhibition of anthocyanin biosynthesis

Many plants with enhanced traits have been engineered via the overexpression of target genes conferring specific benefits to farmers and/or consumers. This is most commonly achieved via transgenic overexpression of either a native or a heterologous gene. However, very few of these transgenic crops have a practical impact due to negative public perceptions of conventional genetically modified (GM) crops

Summary Both mistletoes and their hosts are challenged by increasing drought, highlighting the necessity of understanding their comparative hydraulic properties. The high transpiration of mistletoes requires efficient water transport, while high xylem tensions demand strong embolism resistance, representing a hydraulic paradox. This study, conducted across four environments with different aridity indices

Severe vitamin E deficiency causes ataxia, neuropathy, anaemia and other health conditions, and inadequate vitamin E status is prevalent in healthy population (Malik et al., 2021). Meanwhile, global food production falls short in delivering sufficient vitamin E, resulting in a nutrient gap of 31% (Smith et al., 2021). Although various tocochromanol isoforms are found in crop seeds, only α-tocopherol

SummarySoybean, a staple crop on a global scale, frequently encounters challenges due to lodging under high planting densities, which results in significant yield losses. Despite extensive research, the fundamental genetic mechanisms governing lodging resistance in soybeans remain elusive. In this study, we identify and characterize the Creeping Stem 1 (CS1) gene, which plays a crucial role in conferring

SummaryFlooding is a widespread natural disaster that causes tremendous yield losses of global food production. Rice is the only cereal capable of growing in aquatic environments. Direct seeding by which seedlings grow underwater is an important cultivation method for reducing rice production cost. Hypoxic germination tolerance and root growth in waterlogged soil are key traits for rice adaptability

Some pathogens colonize plant leaves, but others invade the roots, including the vasculature, causing severe disease symptoms. Plant innate immunity has been extensively studied in leaf pathosystems; however, the precise regulation of immunity against vascular pathogens remains largely unexplored. We previously demonstrated that loss of function of the receptor kinase FERONIA (FER) increases plant

Summary Perennial herbs of seasonal climates invest carbon into belowground storage organs (e.g. rhizomes) to support growth when photosynthetic acquisition cannot cover demands. An alternative explanation interprets storage allocation as surplus carbon that is undeployable for growth when plants are limited by nutrients/water. We analysed relative investments to rhizomes to see to which of these explanations

Summary Pathogenesis‐related (PR) proteins are induced by abiotic and biotic stresses and generally considered as part of the plant defense mechanism. However, it remains yet largely unclear if and how they are involved in virus infection. Our recent quantitative, comparative proteomic study identified three PR‐5 family proteins that are significantly differentially accumulated in the plasmodesmata