Trends in Plant Science最新文献

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) guide post-transcriptional gene silencing in plants and shape developmental outcomes and environmental responses by precisely tuning gene expression. miRNAs originate from primary transcripts (pri-miRNAs) whose structural features - including internal loops, mismatches, and sequence motifs - facilitate interactions with the miRNA processing complex composed of DICER-LIKE 1 (DCL1), HYPONASTIC LEAVES 1 (HYL1), and SERRATE (SE). In vitro structural analyses of DCL1, HYL1, and SE proteins have elucidated their interactions with each other and with pri-miRNAs at unprecedented resolution. These findings highlight plant-specific processing features that are distinct from those of animals and suggest new avenues for manipulating miRNA pathways. We review recent progress in understanding the structural determinants of pri-miRNA processing, knowledge that may also be valuable for future applications in crop species through targeted genome editing.

Biotic and abiotic environmental stresses significantly jeopardize crop production worldwide. Griffiths et al. recently demonstrated that a sunlight-activated trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P) precursor, DMNB-T6P, improved wheat yield by regulating T6P signaling pathways under both water-sufficient and deficient conditions. This offers a scalable technology to improve crop resilience and productivity alongside chemical fertilizers.

Seed size is important for crop yield. Recently, Liu et al. discovered a fertilization-dependent 'gate' in ovules that opens only upon central cell fertilization and remains closed when fertilization fails. This gate is tasked with regulating seed size, offering valuable insights and promising applications for seed-focused plant breeding strategies.

Arabinosylation, a critical post-translational modification (PTM) ubiquitous in plants, has received insufficient scientific attention relative to its biological significance. While small secreted peptides (SSPs) are crucial signaling molecules that orchestrate plant growth, stress adaptation, and host-microbe communication, emerging evidence positions arabinosylation as a key regulatory mechanism modulating SSP functionality. In this review we synthesize current knowledge on arabinosylated SSPs, emphasizing their regulatory roles in developmental programming and reprogramming, stress resilience, and symbiotic interactions. We discuss biochemical mechanisms through which arabinosylation enhances peptide biological activity or stability, including receptor interaction modulation, structural stabilization, and proteolytic resistance. We also evaluate future opportunities for leveraging arabinosylation engineering in developing climate-smart crops through targeted arabinosylated SSPs.

Twenty years of sustained global efforts in wheat genomics reached the latest milestone in 2025 with the publication of two articles reporting complete wheat genome sequences. This forum article includes milestones from early drafts to recent breakthroughs, highlighting how this latest resource will accelerate improvement of this globally important crop.

Genome editing enables precise sequence alteration, but remains limited by binary logic and irreversible outcomes. By contrast, epigenome editing offers reversible and multilayered regulation without altering the DNA sequence. Yet current implementations remain inert - unable to sense, compute, or adapt. Here, we survey emerging plant epigenome editing modalities and explore their integration with logic-based synthetic gene circuits. We propose design strategies, such as multiplexer-driven flowering switches in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and Boolean logic-gated fruit ripening in Solanum lycopersicum. Underpinned by plant-tailored roadmaps and pitfall mitigation strategies synthesized here, these architectures could transform static editing into programmable, context-aware regulation. This convergence gestures toward a future of composite epigenome engineering, where epigenetic plasticity and synthetic logic integrate to support scalable, predictive control of traits.

Gene expression regulation in plants involves complex epigenetic mechanisms. Historically, histone acetylation and methylation have been recognized as central determinants of chromatin dynamics and transcriptional regulation. However, recent studies have identified novel types of short-chain lysine acylation - including crotonylation, butyrylation, β-hydroxybutyrylation, 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation, succinylation, and lactylation - as emerging players in epigenetic control. Although these modifications have been extensively characterized in mammals, accumulating evidence now confirms their presence in plants. We focus on plant-specific findings related to histone acylation and analyze its metabolic sources, writers, and erasers, as well as its functional roles in plant development and stress adaptation. Investigation of these modifications in higher plants may unveil unique regulatory mechanisms that underlie developmental plasticity and resilience, and thereby open new avenues for crop improvement and sustainable agriculture.

Signaling of secreted CLAVATA3/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION (CLE) peptides via CLV1-type receptor kinases is a central mechanism regulating stem cell pool size. Originally characterized in the context of shoot meristem maintenance, this network has been increasingly scrutinized in recent years for its role in Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) root meristem maintenance and organization. These analyses revealed unique, often seemingly paradoxical facets, which can be understood from the rewiring of CLE signaling networks in the root compared with the shoot. Here, we review the intricate interplay between distinct and antagonistic CLE signaling pathways in the primary root meristem, which suggests that the core function of CLE signaling in roots is to dynamically buffer antagonism between positive and negative signaling inputs, thereby enhancing developmental robustness.

Stomata are essential structures for gas exchange and water regulation in plants. Their development and movement are controlled by complex signaling networks. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade serves as a central hub, integrating endogenous and exogenous signals to regulate both stomatal development and aperture dynamics. This review summarizes recent advances in the molecular mechanisms underlying MAPK cascade-mediated stomatal regulation. It highlights the dual roles of the MAPK networks in development and stress adaptation across Arabidopsis thaliana, grasses, and woody species. Understanding MAPK-mediated stomatal control provides valuable insights for engineering climate-resilient crops with enhanced stress resistance.