Here's a shorter than usual round up of the top papers you've been sharing this week on Bluesky. The scanning system has been struggling with duplicates and a surprising number of unreadable papers from a specific publisher. I won't say which, because I don't want to antagonise anyone, but I will mention that the non-profits who publish papers, BSA, ASPB, New Phyt and Annals of Botany don't make a point of getting in the way. This makes me wonder what the extras are that a big for-a-lot-of-profit publisher gives. Papers behind a paywall are marked 💰otherwise they're free to access at time of checking.

1. The Arabidopsis SPFH protein HIR2 modulates receptor signaling and plasma membrane organization
Weber, H. et al. · The EMBO Journal · 2 posts · 36 likes · 13 reposts on Bluesky

Plant plasma membrane proteins are organized into distinct domains; however, the principles that govern this spatial organization are not fully understood. HYPERSENSITIVE-INDUCED REACTION (HIR) proteins are plant-specific members of the stomatin/prohibitin/ flotillin/HflK/C (SPFH) family implicated in membrane organization... AlphaFold 3 predicts a multimeric cup-like assembly for HIR2, consistent with high molecular weight complexes identified through blue-native PAGE. These findings indicate that HIR2 contributes to the formation of membrane sub-compartments, providing a potential structural framework for spatial membrane organization that influences the dynamics and function of membrane-resident receptors.

2. Decoding plants cell by cell: opportunities and challenges in single-cell and spatial biology 💰
De Veylder, L. et al. · The Plant Cell · 2 posts · 29 likes · 14 reposts on Bluesky

In this review, we summarize the emerging opportunities and key bottlenecks in plant single-cell and spatial biology. We discuss how embedding single-cell data within evolutionary developmental frameworks can accelerate the discovery of functionally relevant genes, and how spatial transcriptomics may enable comparative study designs, the study of cell-to-cell communication, and multi-organism spatial analyses.

Tatsuya Nobori @tatsuyanobori.bsky.social · on Bluesky

A collection of perspectives on the opportunities and challenges in single-cell and spatial biology is now published in
@ThePlantCell
.
academic.oup.com/plcell/advan...

Happy to have contributed the chapter, “Spatial transcriptomics in plants: where next?”

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3. Multiplication of peat moss (Sphagnum L.) species for climate action
Parsons, J., Decker, E. L., Reski, R. · Journal of Experimental Botany · 1 post · 25 likes · 15 reposts on Bluesky

Sphagnum farming is a promising approach to combat climate change. Here, we review state of the art research with a focus on the establishment of a peat moss collection and their growth in vitro, especially in photobioreactors.

Journal of Experimental Botany @jxbotany.bsky.social · on Bluesky

🌿 EXPERT VIEW 🌿

Peat moss farming can contribute to climate protection 🌍
Parsons et al. review state of the art research with a focus on Sphagnum biomass gain in photobioreactors 🧪🔬

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#PlantScience Ralf Reski

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4. Mangrove Rhizophoraceae Leaf Fossils from The Early Eocene in Tasmania, Australia, at Polar Paleolatitude ~ 65° S 💰
Carpenter, R. et al. · International Journal of Plant Sciences · 8 posts · 20 likes · 5 reposts on Bluesky

Mangrove habitats are found in warm tidal waters of the tropics and subtropics, and are of great biological and economic importance. Among mangrove plants, the exclusively mangrove tribe Rhizophoreae of Rhizophoraceae is of special interest, being the most geographically widespread and speciose. However, very few well-studied macrofossils of this tribe are known, thus limiting phylogenetic and paleoclimatic interpretations of mangrove history. We undertook comparative studies of the architecture and cuticle of foliar specimens from early Eocene, Nypa-bearing sedimentary rocks at Lowana Rd, Tasmania, and species of extant Rhizophoraceae, especially from the four genera of Rhizophoreae.

5. Desiccation tolerance mechanisms in the green lineage and beyond
Schuster, J., VanBuren, R. · New Phytologist · 2 posts · 18 likes · 12 reposts on Bluesky

Here, we synthesize our current understanding of the evolutionary origins and core mechanisms underlying plant desiccation tolerance and place them within a broader comparative context across kingdoms. We highlight how genome‐scale datasets suggest desiccation tolerance is an emergent, systems‐level phenotype coordinated across biological scales.

New Phytologist @newphyt.bsky.social · on Bluesky

Desiccation tolerance mechanisms in the green lineage and beyond

#TansleyReview by Schuster and VanBuren

nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...

#plantscience

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6. Plant–cyanobacterial symbioses: mutualism with emerging translational possibilities 💰
Villarreal, J. C., Delaux, P. M., Li, F. W. · Trends in Plant Science · 1 post · 20 likes · 11 reposts on Bluesky

Engineering rhizobial–plant nitrogen fixation in crops is a major goal in plant synthetic biology. We propose expanding efforts to plant–cyanobacterial symbioses as an alternative path. Targeting the earliest step of this partnership—likely conserved across its independent evolutionary origins—may offer a comparatively simple and promising strategy for enabling nitrogen-fixing crops.

7. Plant cells at the organ surface use mechanical cues to activate a specific growth-control program 💰
Nemec-Venza, Z. et al. · Current Biology · 1 post · 43 likes · 21 reposts on Bluesky

Here, we propose that epidermal cells at the organ surface have unique requirements for growth control due to high mechanical tension, while covered epidermal cells are mechanically shielded by the root cap. We present in silico and in vivo evidence that plants use surface mechanical cues to activate a cell-type-specific growth-control program involving the small guanosine triphosphatase (GTPase) RAB-A5c, thereby allowing roots to maintain directional growth at the organ surface.

8. Chloroplast-encoded small subunit extensions reshape the Chlamydomonas chlororibosome
Waltz, F. et al. · Nature Plants · 1 post · 20 likes · 7 reposts on Bluesky

Here we combine in situ cryo-electron tomography with single-particle cryo-electron microscopy to determine the structure of the chlororibosome from the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii . Subtomogram averaging of chlororibosomes in their native environment, resolved to ~5 Å and in distinct translational states, reveals particles both free in the stroma and flexibly tethered to thylakoid membranes.

Nature Plants @natplants.nature.com · on Bluesky

New OA Article: "Chloroplast-encoded small subunit extensions reshape the Chlamydomonas chlororibosome" rdcu.be/fwoSj

In situ cryo-electron tomography reveals a unique ‘arm’ domain on the small subunit of Chlamydomonas chlororibosomes. #PlantScience

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9. Molecular interactions between plants and arthropod herbivores in the context of climate change 💰
Martinez, M. · Journal of Experimental Botany · 1 post · 17 likes · 8 reposts on Bluesky

In this review, the current knowledge on molecular interactions between plants and arthropod herbivores is compiled in the context of climate change, with a focus on the consequences of drought and warm temperatures.

Journal of Experimental Botany @jxbotany.bsky.social · on Bluesky

🐛🌡️ SPECIAL ISSUE REVIEW 🌡️🐛

Climate change causes alterations in gene expression that differentially affect the molecular interactions between plants and arthropod herbivores - Manuel Martinez

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#PlantScience 🧪

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10. The evolution and development of LEAFY function 💰
McConnell, H., Di Stilio, V. S. · Journal of Experimental Botany · 1 post · 13 likes · 8 reposts on Bluesky

Even though the canonical role of the transcription factor gene LEAFY (LFY) is in establishing the identity of angiosperm floral meristems, homologs of this gene are found across all land plants, pre-dating the evolution of flowers. It has been hypothesized that the ancestral role of LFY was more broadly meristematic, regulating cell division, and that it acquired its reproductive function more recently. Here, we review mounting evidence from LFY orthologs in non-flowering plants that supports the hypothesis that the reproductive role of LFY arose earlier in the land plant lineage than previously thought, in the gametophyte of haploid-dominant plants, and that it was co-opted to the sporophyte as land plants evolved towards diploid-dominant life cycles.

Journal of Experimental Botany @jxbotany.bsky.social · on Bluesky

🌸 FLOWERING NEWSLETTER REVIEW 🌸

McConnell & Di Stilio provide updates on LEAFY function from diverse model systems in support of the hypothesis that the reproductive role of LEAFY in the sporophyte was co-opted from early land plant gametophytes.

🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...

#PlantScience 🧪

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11. Height does not impair the hydraulic system of the tallest tropical Dipterocarp trees 💰
Bittencourt, P. et al. · Science · 1 post · 38 likes · 13 reposts on Bluesky

Half of the aboveground biomass in forests is stored in a disproportionately small number of very tall trees. These giants are predicted to be more vulnerable to drought-induced damage because height impairs their hydraulic system. We evaluated whether the hydraulic system of world’s tallest tropical tree species—Southeast Asian dipterocarps—are negatively affected by their height.

12. Golden Promise-rapid, a fast-cycling and transformable barley genotype
Buchmann, G. et al. · Journal of Experimental Botany · 1 post · 15 likes · 6 reposts on Bluesky

The spring barley cultivar Golden Promise (GP) is the major reference genotype for transformation due to its high transformability and the availability of a reference genome. In this study, we generated a fast-cycling genotype, Golden Promise-rapid (GP-rapid), isogenic to GP with good regeneration capacity and transformability.

13. Decoding MAPK cascades in plant immunity: Activation, regulation, integration, and pathogen manipulation
Zhong, G. et al. · Journal of Integrative Plant Biology · 1 post · 8 likes · 6 reposts on Bluesky

In this review, we summarize the conserved composition and activation of MAPK cascades and update advances in understanding the molecular mechanisms by which plants maintain or inhibit MAPK activation. We also highlight the functional links between MAPK activation and other immune events, suggesting crosstalk in the plant immune signaling network.

14. Leaf hydraulics is a core component of plant immunity
Marty, S. et al. · bioRxiv · 1 post · 9 likes · 5 reposts on Bluesky

Hydathodes at leaf margins mediate guttation of xylem-derived fluids and serve as primary entry sites for adapted vascular bacterial pathogens such as Xanthomonas campestris . Infection of Arabidopsis mutants with fewer hydathodes resulted in spontaneous mesophyll water-soaking and revealed unexpectedly-large pathogen populations explained by direct infection of the mesophyll niche through stomata and subsequent proliferation.

15. A conserved role of EIN3 in the development of rooting structures in land plants
Kong, D. et al. · Plant Physiology · 1 post · 9 likes · 5 reposts on Bluesky

The ethylene signaling transcription factor EIN3 regulates rooting structure development in a conserved manner in land plants.

Cover image: Arabidopsis thaliana by Scott Shanks / iNaturalist CC BY