Publications by authors named "L Furci"
In plants, epitranscriptomic mark N6-adenine methylation (m6A) is dynamically regulated in response to environmental cues. However, little is known about m6A dynamics under biotic stresses and their role in environmental adaptation. Additionally, current methodologies limit the investigation of m6A dynamics at single-nucleotide resolution on specific RNA molecules.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOver a decade ago, three independent studies reported that pathogen- and herbivore-exposed produces primed progeny with increased resistance. Since then, heritable induced resistance (h-IR) has been reported across numerous plant-biotic interactions, revealing a regulatory function of DNA (de)methylation dynamics. However, the identity of the epi-alleles controlling h-IR and the mechanisms by which they prime defense genes remain unknown, while the evolutionary significance of the response requires confirmation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- Transposable elements (TEs) found in both intergenic and intragenic regions of plant genomes can regulate associated genes and create combined TE-gene transcripts.
- Using long-read RNA sequencing and a specialized bioinformatics tool named ParasiTE, researchers studied these TE-gene transcripts in Arabidopsis thaliana, revealing widespread production across many gene locations.
- The study highlights how the epigenetic state of intragenic TEs influences gene expression, transcript variety, and plant responses to environmental changes, enhancing our understanding of mRNA regulation in plants.
Article Synopsis
- The study introduces a new, non-destructive method for monitoring the colonization of the bacterial leaf pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv tomato (Pst) in plants, enabling real-time tracking of infection dynamics.
- This method utilizes a bioluminescent strain of Pst and a standard gel documentation system to capture and analyze infection images over time, showcasing how the bacteria spread from older to younger leaves.
- Results indicate that this technique allows for comparison of bacterial colonization across different plant genotypes and treatments, offering reliable data correlated with traditional methods.
Article Synopsis
- Recent research indicates that stressed plants can pass on resistance traits to their offspring through epigenetic changes, but the implications of this ability are not well understood.
- The study found that plants infected by specific types of pathogens develop effective transgenerational induced resistance (t-IR) against similar pathogens, though it comes with ecological costs, making their progeny more vulnerable to other stresses when environments change.
- Additionally, while soil salinity did not trigger t-IR effectively against salt stress, it induced a non-specific resistance to various pathogens in different environments, though this response was coupled with significant reductions in seed production and viability, raising questions about its practicality.