Trends in Plant Science最新文献

The study by Zhang et al. demonstrated that two kinases (SlCDPK27 and SlCDPK26) regulate the sugar content in tomato fruits with little impact on morphology. They act as sugar breaks by phosphorylating a sucrose synthase, promoting its degradation and unveiling the mechanism by which sugar content can be increased without yield penalty.

While rhizobia have long been recognised as the primary colonisers of legume nodules, microbiome studies have revealed the presence of other bacteria in these organs. This opinion delves into the factors shaping the nodule microbiome and explores the potential roles of non-rhizobial endophytes, focusing particularly on Pseudomonas as prominent players. We explore the mechanisms by which Pseudomonas colonise nodules, their interactions with rhizobia, and their remarkable potential to promote plant growth and protect against pathogens. Furthermore, we discuss the promising prospects of using Pseudomonas as inoculants alongside rhizobia to enhance crop growth and promote sustainable agricultural practices.

Recently, Torres-Romero et al. identified a novel lipid droplet (LD)-associated protein, α/β-hydrolase domain containing protein 1 (ABHD1), in algae. Structurally, ABHD1 promotes the budding and growth of LDs and, functionally, it hydrolyzes lyso-diacylglyceryl-N,N,N-trimethylhomoserine (lyso-DGTS) to generate glyceryl-N,N,N-trimethylhomoserine (GTS) and free fatty acids (FFAs). Taken together, ABHD1 mediates a novel pathway for LD formation.

In the realm of genetic information, fusion transcripts contribute to the intricate complexity of the transcriptome across various organisms. Recently, Cong et al. investigated these RNAs in rice, maize, soybean, and arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), revealing conserved characteristics. These findings enhance our understanding of the functional roles and evolutionary significance of these fusion transcripts.

Prime editing (PE), a precise CRISPR-based method, has worked well in some plants but faces challenges in dicots. Vu and colleagues developed new PE tools that greatly improve PE efficiency in dicots, enabling accurate, heritable genome edits. This advance marks a breakthrough that could revolutionize crop improvement and plant biotechnology.

Manipulating the seedling microbiota through seed or soil inoculations has the potential to improve plant health. Mixed in-field results have been attributed to a lack of consideration for ecological processes taking place during seedling microbiota assembly. In this opinion article, we (i) assess the contribution of ecological processes at play during seedling microbiota assembly (e.g., propagule pressure and priority effects); (ii) investigate how life history theory can help us identify microbial traits involved in successful seedling colonisation; and (iii) suggest how different plant microbiota engineering methods could benefit from a greater understanding of seedling microbiota assembly processes. Finally, we propose several research hypotheses and identify outstanding questions for the plant microbiota engineering community.

Heterosis describes the superior performance of hybrid plants compared with their genetically distinct parents and is a pillar of global food security. Here we review the current status of the molecular dissection of heterosis. We discuss how extensive intraspecific structural genomic variation between parental genotypes leads to heterosis by genetic complementation in hybrids. Moreover, we survey how global gene expression complementation contributes to heterosis by hundreds of additionally active genes in hybrids and how overdominant single genes mediate heterosis in several species. Furthermore, we highlight the prominent role of the microbiome in improving the performance of hybrids. Taken together, the molecular understanding of heterosis will pave the way to accelerate hybrid productivity and a more sustainable agriculture.

Soybean, the most important legume crop, plays a crucial role in food security and sustainable agriculture. Recently, Zhong et al. demonstrated that a moderate increase in nodule number in soybean improves field yield and protein content. Their findings propose a potential strategy to enhance yield performance in other legume crops.