Gene family rearrangements and transcriptional priming drive the evolution of vegetative desiccation tolerance in Selaginella.

Extreme dryness is lethal for nearly all plants, excluding the so-called resurrection plants, which evolved vegetative desiccation tolerance (VDT) by recruiting genes common in most plants. To better understand the evolution of VDT, we generated chromosome-level assemblies and improved genome annotations of two Selaginella species with contrasting abilities to survive desiccation. We identified genomic features and critical mechanisms associated with VDT through sister-group comparative genomics integrating multi-omics data.

Enhanced phenylpropanoid metabolism underlies resistance to f. sp. race 4 infection in the cotton cultivar Pima-S6 ( L.).

f. sp. vasinfectum (FOV) race 4 (FOV4) is a highly pathogenic soil-borne fungus responsible for Fusarium wilt in cotton () and represents a continuing threat to cotton production in the southwest states of the United States, including California, New Mexico, and Texas.

Multi-omic analyses reveal the unique properties of chia (Salvia hispanica) seed metabolism.

Chia (Salvia hispanica) is an emerging crop considered a functional food containing important substances with multiple potential applications. However, the molecular basis of some relevant chia traits, such as seed mucilage and polyphenol content, remains to be discovered. This study generates an improved chromosome-level reference of the chia genome, resolving some highly repetitive regions, describing methylation patterns, and refining genome annotation.

Development of High-Quality Nuclei Isolation to Study Plant Root-Microbe Interaction for Single-Nuclei Transcriptomic Sequencing in Soybean.

Single-nucleus RNA sequencing (sNucRNA-seq) is an emerging technology that has been rapidly adopted and demonstrated to be a powerful tool for detailed characterization of each cell- and sub cell-types in complex tissues of higher eukaryotes. sNucRNA-seq has also been used to dissect cell-type-specific transcriptional responses to environmental or developmental signals. In plants, this technology is being utilized to identify cell-type-specific trajectories for the study of several tissue types and important traits, including the single-cell dissection of the genetic determinants regulating plant-microbe interactions.

Assessment of the ptxD gene as a growth and selective marker in Trichoderma atroviride using Pccg6, a novel constitutive promoter.

Background: Trichoderma species are among the most effective cell factories to produce recombinant proteins, whose productivity relies on the molecular toolkit and promoters available for the expression of the target protein. Although inducible promoter systems have been developed for producing recombinant proteins in Trichoderma, constitutive promoters are often a desirable alternative. Constitutive promoters are simple to use, do not require external stimuli or chemical inducers to be activated, and lead to purer enzyme preparations.

Mercury Concentration, DNA Methylation, and Mitochondrial DNA Damage in Olive Ridley Sea Turtle Embryos With Schistosomus Reflexus Syndrome.

Schistosomus reflexus syndrome (SR) is a rare and lethal congenital malformation that has been reported in the olive ridley sea turtle () in Mexico. Although the etiology remains unclear, it is presumed to be genetic. Since embryonic development in sea turtles largely depends on environmental conditions, we investigated whether sea turtle total mercury content participates in the etiology of SR.

Adaptation to Phosphate Scarcity: Tips from Arabidopsis Roots.

Phosphorus (P) availability is a limiting factor for plant growth and development. Root tip contact with low Pi media triggers diverse changes in the root architecture of Arabidopsis thaliana. The most conspicuous among these modifications is the inhibition of root growth, which is triggered by a shift from an indeterminate to a determinate root growth program.

Phosphate Starvation-Dependent Iron Mobilization Induces CLE14 Expression to Trigger Root Meristem Differentiation through CLV2/PEPR2 Signaling.

Low inorganic phosphate (Pi) availability causes terminal differentiation of the root apical meristem (RAM), a phenomenon known as root meristem exhaustion or determined growth. Here, we report that the CLE14 peptide acts as a key player in this process. Low Pi stress induces iron mobilization in the RAM through the action of LPR1/LPR2, causing expression of CLE14 in the proximal meristem region.

Malate-dependent Fe accumulation is a critical checkpoint in the root developmental response to low phosphate.

Low phosphate (Pi) availability constrains plant development and seed production in both natural and agricultural ecosystems. When Pi is scarce, modifications of root system architecture (RSA) enhance the soil exploration ability of the plant and lead to an increase in Pi uptake. In , an iron-dependent mechanism reprograms primary root growth in response to low Pi availability.

Phosphate starvation induces DNA methylation in the vicinity of cis-acting elements known to regulate the expression of phosphate-responsive genes.

Phosphate (Pi) limitation is a constraint for plant growth in many natural and agricultural ecosystems. Plants possess adaptive mechanisms that enable them to cope with conditions of limited Pi supply, including a highly regulated genetic program controlling the expression of genes involved in different metabolic, signaling and development processes of plants. Recently, we showed that in response to phosphate limitation Arabidopsis thaliana sets specific DNA methylation patterns of genic features that often correlated with changes in gene expression.

Methylome analysis reveals an important role for epigenetic changes in the regulation of the Arabidopsis response to phosphate starvation.

Phosphate (Pi) availability is a significant limiting factor for plant growth and productivity in both natural and agricultural systems. To cope with such limiting conditions, plants have evolved a myriad of developmental and biochemical strategies to enhance the efficiency of Pi acquisition and assimilation to avoid nutrient starvation. In the past decade, these responses have been studied in detail at the level of gene expression; however, the possible epigenetic components modulating plant Pi starvation responses have not been thoroughly investigated.

An improved, low-cost, hydroponic system for growing Arabidopsis and other plant species under aseptic conditions.

Background: Hydroponics is a plant growth system that provides a more precise control of growth media composition. Several hydroponic systems have been reported for Arabidopsis and other model plants. The ease of system set up, cost of the growth system and flexibility to characterize and harvest plant material are features continually improved in new hydroponic system reported.