Interspecific transfer of genetic information through polyploid bridges.

Hybridization blurs species boundaries and leads to intertwined lineages resulting in reticulate evolution. Polyploidy, the outcome of whole genome duplication (WGD), has more recently been implicated in promoting and facilitating hybridization between polyploid species, potentially leading to adaptive introgression. However, because polyploid lineages are usually ephemeral states in the evolutionary history of life it is unclear whether WGD-potentiated hybridization has any appreciable effect on their diploid counterparts.

The duplication of genomes and genetic networks and its potential for evolutionary adaptation and survival during environmental turmoil.

The importance of whole-genome duplication (WGD) for evolution is controversial. Whereas some view WGD mainly as detrimental and an evolutionary dead end, there is growing evidence that polyploidization can help overcome environmental change, stressful conditions, or periods of extinction. However, despite much research, the mechanistic underpinnings of why and how polyploids might be able to outcompete or outlive nonpolyploids at times of environmental upheaval remain elusive, especially for autopolyploids, in which heterosis effects are limited.

Structure-function study of a Ca-independent metacaspase involved in lateral root emergence.

Metacaspases are part of an evolutionarily broad family of multifunctional cysteine proteases, involved in disease and normal development. As the structure-function relationship of metacaspases remains poorly understood, we solved the X-ray crystal structure of an type II metacaspase (AtMCA-IIf) belonging to a particular subgroup not requiring calcium ions for activation. To study metacaspase activity in plants, we developed an in vitro chemical screen to identify small molecule metacaspase inhibitors and found several hits with a minimal thioxodihydropyrimidine-dione structure, of which some are specific AtMCA-IIf inhibitors.

Rhizogenic protein RolB interacts with the TOPLESS repressor proteins to reprogram plant immunity and development.

Rhizogenic strains comprise biotrophic pathogens that cause hairy root disease (HRD) on hydroponically grown and crops, besides being widely explored agents for the creation of hairy root cultures for the sustainable production of plant-specialized metabolites. Hairy root formation is mediated through the expression of genes encoded on the T-DNA of the root-inducing (Ri) plasmid, of which several, including (), play a major role in hairy root development. Despite decades of research, the exact molecular function of the proteins encoded by the genes remains enigmatic.

Evolutionary divergence of duplicated genomes in newly described allotetraploid cottons.

Allotetraploid cotton () species represents a model system for the study of plant polyploidy, molecular evolution, and domestication. Here, chromosome-scale genome sequences were obtained and assembled for two recently described wild species of tetraploid cotton, [(AD), ] and [(AD), ], and one early form of domesticated , race [(AD), ]. Based on phylogenomic analysis, we provide a dated whole-genome level perspective for the evolution of the tetraploid clade and resolved the evolutionary relationships of , , and domesticated .