Sarah E. Noll , Andrea M. Sama , Abigail Tripka , Alexandra J. Dickinson
{"title":"Quantitative ambient mass spectrometry imaging in plants: A perspective on challenges and future applications","authors":"Sarah E. Noll , Andrea M. Sama , Abigail Tripka , Alexandra J. Dickinson","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102736","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102736","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) is a powerful approach to understanding plant chemistry in a native context because it retains key spatial information that is otherwise averaged out, permitting chemical compounds to be mapped to specific tissue structures. Identifying the spatial localization of compounds in plant tissues has provided insights into the synthesis and functional role of a wide range of endogenous molecules. The power and utility of MSI is being further expanded through the development of quantitative methodologies, which enable relative and absolute quantification of target analytes. Here, we briefly summarize applications of MSI in plant studies. We then turn our discussion to the challenges and developments in quantitative MSI, with a particular focus on ambient liquid extraction-based methods. Quantitative MSI is an emerging discipline in plant studies and holds great promise for revealing new information about the molecular composition of plant tissues and the pathways that regulate plant physiology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 102736"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144083650","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Olivia S. Hazelwood , Norman B. Best , M. Arif Ashraf
{"title":"Function of nuclear envelope proteins in plant growth and development","authors":"Olivia S. Hazelwood , Norman B. Best , M. Arif Ashraf","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102738","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102738","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nuclear envelope proteins are present across the eukaryotes. Over the past few decades, genetic, molecular, and cell biology tools have been used extensively to study the nuclear envelope proteins in plant and non-plant model organisms, as well as human cell lines. Plant biologists have identified a series of nuclear envelope proteins using both forward and reverse genetic approaches, bioinformatics predictions, and protein–protein interactions. Each discovery is tightly linked with alterations in plant growth and developmental phenotypes. In this review, we highlight the recently emerging developmental aspects, more precisely, stomatal, reproductive, and root development, involving plant nuclear envelope proteins.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 102738"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068135","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"WUSCHEL: The essential regulator of the Arabidopsis shoot Apical Meristem","authors":"Elena D. Shpak, Muhammad Uzair","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102739","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102739","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant longevity depends on reservoirs of slowly proliferating stem cells, where a reduced rate of division is essential for maintaining DNA integrity. Aboveground stem cells are localized in the central zone of the shoot meristems, whose size is controlled by the transcription factor WUS. This review focuses on the mechanism of WUS function and the regulation of its expression. WUS maintains the central zone's size by controlling the hormones such as cytokinins. It forms complexes with various transcription factors and can act as a repressor and an activator of gene transcription. Cytokinins define WUS spatial expression relative to the meristem surface, while EPFL signaling limits <em>WUS</em> radial expansion. CLV3 signaling modulates <em>WUS</em> expression levels within the boundaries set by cytokinin and EPFLs. A significant overlap of <em>WUS</em> and <em>CLV3</em> expression in the L3 layer suggests that autocrine signaling by CLV3 may play a central role in regulating <em>WUS</em> expression.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 102739"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068136","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Mechanical control of plant organ growth: Lessons from the seed","authors":"Jeanne Braat, Benoit Landrein","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102737","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102737","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant organ growth is governed by the mechanical properties of individual cells but also by mechanical interactions between adjacent cells and tissues. These interactions generate forces that are sensed, triggering mechanical responses that influence essential cellular processes important for growth and differentiation. However, the extent to which cell mechanical properties and responses to forces shape organ size and form, as well as the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, remain poorly understood due to the inherent complexity of plant organ morphogenesis. In this review, we highlight recent advancements in understanding the mechanics of plant organ development, focusing on insights gained from studying Arabidopsis seed development. We illustrate how mechanical interactions between tissues contribute to the regulation of seed growth and provide a framework for exploring the role of mechanics in shaping plant morphology.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 102737"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144068134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Branching under pressure: Influences of cell wall architecture and biomechanics on lateral root morphogenesis","authors":"Ritu Vadodaria, Charles T. Anderson","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102735","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102735","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plants carry out a unique type of organogenesis in which cells do not move relative to each other but instead maintain their relative positions and grow in concert. The coordinated regulation of cell shape and size is thus essential for organ morphogenesis, but in a few developmental processes, most notably in invasive growth and the establishment of branched tissue architectures, cell and tissue growth in plants involves the displacement of surrounding or overlying tissues. Plant cells accomplish patterned developmental morphogenesis in part due to the mechanically complex architectures of their cell walls, which can anisotropically constrain the expansion that is facilitated in many cases by the cellular uptake of water that results in cell pressurization. Here, we focus on one example of patterned tissue growth and cell displacement, the formation and emergence of lateral roots, as a paradigm for understanding how cell wall architecture and cellular biomechanics influence the differentiation and growth of new organs in plants. We highlight recent advances in our knowledge of how hormone signaling, transcriptional regulation, cytoskeletal dynamics, and cell wall synthesis and remodeling influence lateral root initiation and emergence, and propose hypotheses and potential research directions for future studies of these complex but essential developmental processes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 102735"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143917902","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Organ symmetry establishment during gynoecium development","authors":"Iqra Jamil , Ayanava Giri , Laila Moubayidin","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102732","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102732","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Symmetry is a key factor in the morphological diversity and reproductive success of angiosperms (flowering plants). The gynoecium, the female reproductive organ of the flower, displays remarkable variation in symmetry types, ranging from bilateral to radial, from its base (ovary) to its apex (style). Proper tissue growth and differentiation occur along the body axes to form three-dimensional structures and establish symmetric forms within the organ.</div><div>In this review, we summarise the latest understanding on cellular, molecular and genetic mechanisms governing pivotal symmetry changes during gynoecium development and highlight unresolved questions and potential avenues for future research. Understanding these processes provides valuable insights into the biological networks that regulate symmetry foundation in plant organs, contributing to a broader evolutionary and developmental perspective on plant morphogenesis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"85 ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":8.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143912026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Flowering time regulation through the lens of evolution","authors":"Bo Zhao , Dong Zhai , Jia-Wei Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102734","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102734","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Flowering, the onset of reproductive development, marks a critical transition in the angiosperm life cycle. In the model plant <em>Arabidopsis thaliana</em>, the process is tightly regulated by a complex network of approximately 300 genes organized into distinct pathways. This mini-review examines the genetic and molecular mechanisms regulating flowering time from an evolutionary perspective. Our analysis reveals that genes involved in the age and photoperiod pathways are evolutionarily ancient and highly conserved across bryophytes and vascular plants. In contrast, other regulatory modules appear to have evolved more recently, likely through the repurposing of existing genes or adaptations to environmental changes. We propose that future research should shift away from studying flowering regulation mechanisms in individual model plants to exploring the evolution of flowering time pathways and their underlying drivers. Adopting an evolutionary perspective may ultimately illuminate the fundamental principles governing the timing of reproductive development in plants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 102734"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143906289","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"All roads lead to dome: Multicellular dynamics during de novo meristem establishment in shoot regeneration","authors":"Yuki Doll, Momoko Ikeuchi","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102733","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102733","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Shoot apical meristems (SAMs) harbor persistent stem cells and give rise to above-ground organs throughout life. In tissue culture-based shoot regeneration, a subpopulation of pluripotent callus cells is specified into SAMs. How callus cells decide whether or not to become SAMs stands as an important question in developmental biology. Furthermore, the developmental basis underlying the <em>de novo</em> construction of dome-shaped SAMs remained largely unknown. Recent high-resolution analyses have revealed the spatiotemporal dynamics of cell fate determination and meristem establishment during shoot regeneration. Cell fates to become meristem are actively determined through interactions between neighboring cells, rather than by cell-autonomous fate transition. Inter-cell layer communication via mobile signal or mechanical cue may enable meristem construction. By integrating recent insights from the two-step tissue culture system in Arabidopsis together with other shoot regeneration systems, we depict the process of <em>de novo</em> meristem establishment as a dynamic multicellular system.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 102733"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143902301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Converging on long and short: The genetics, molecular biology and evolution of heterostyly","authors":"Lele Shang, Karol Gad, Michael Lenhard","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102731","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102731","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Heterostyly is a fascinating floral polymorphism that enhances outcrossing. In heterostylous species the flowers of the two or three morphs differ in multiple traits, including reciprocal reproductive-organ placement and self-incompatibility. These traits are controlled by individual genes within an <em>S-</em>locus supergene, whose suppressed recombination ensures the coordinated inheritance of the morph phenotypes. Recent breakthroughs about the genetic and molecular basis of heterostyly have resulted from studies on many independently evolved instances and include the following: The <em>S</em>-locus is a hemizygous region comprising several individual genes in multiple heterostylous taxa. In many systems, a single gene within the <em>S</em>-locus plays dual roles in regulating both female traits of style length and self-incompatibility type, often involving brassinosteroid signalling. The <em>S-</em>loci have evolved through stepwise or segmental duplication in different lineages. The frequent breakdown of heterostyly generally results from individual mutations at the <em>S-</em>locus and leads to a genomic selfing syndrome. These discoveries suggest convergent and genetically constrained evolution of heterostyly at the molecular level.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 102731"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143902302","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pedro Barreto , Elias Feitosa-Araujo , Alisdair R. Fernie , Markus Schwarzländer
{"title":"How to turbo charge respiration – thermogenic metabolism in plants","authors":"Pedro Barreto , Elias Feitosa-Araujo , Alisdair R. Fernie , Markus Schwarzländer","doi":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102730","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.pbi.2025.102730","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Plant metabolism is remarkably flexible. Rapid changes in the rate and mode of primary metabolism are essential to meet the demands of plants under changeable conditions. While it is evident that photosynthetic metabolism must be regulated to match changes in illumination, the principles that govern the regulation of respiratory metabolism have remained less obvious, even though plant respiratory rates can vary profoundly. An extreme transition in respiratory metabolism occurs when a thermogenic plant tissue enters the phase of heat generation. Here, we review our current understanding of what is required to re-model plant metabolism toward thermogenesis and highlight recent advances. We propose plant thermogenesis as a model to uncover novel mechanisms that control respiration rate. Those mechanisms may aid engineering carbon use efficiency and improve stress resilience in plants and beyond.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":11003,"journal":{"name":"Current opinion in plant biology","volume":"85 ","pages":"Article 102730"},"PeriodicalIF":8.3,"publicationDate":"2025-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143894454","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}