Trends in Plant Science最新文献

With falling sequencing costs and the rise of computational methods, plant genomics is entering a new paradigmatic shift. Combination of phased telomere-to-telomere assemblies and super-pangenome is emerging as the ultimate reference needed in plants. Together they provide a gold standard for genetic dissection, molecular-design breeding, and resource conservation.

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.

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.

The overall function of an ecosystem is determined by the richness of its biodiversity and the complex interactions formed between the different species that inhabit it. Understanding how global change factors (including climate change), and their combinations, are affecting the intricate species-to-species relationships formed within different ecosystems and agro-ecosystems is becoming therefore increasingly important to our future. Here, we discuss how improved plant-to-plant and plant-to-microbiome signaling, achieved via research, intervention, and altered practices, can be used to form resilient plant communities that will help us shape our environment and successfully address some of our current and future anthropogenically generated critical challenges.