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 ...

The authors identify conserved gene networks across fern and angiosperm reproductive development, including between the sporophyte ovule and the fern gametophyte egg-chamber. Repurposing of this netwo...

The colonization of land by plants reshaped the global carbon cycle, with distinct functional contributions from different lineages. Mosses, a diverse group of nonvascular plants, inhabit environments...

PPR genes exhibit rhythmic expression in response to light conditions, and are related to rhythmic RNA editing of mitochondrial genes. These results suggest that PPR genes might integrate environment...

Terpenes constitute the largest and most structurally diverse class of plant secondary metabolites, with critical roles in plant-environment interactions and broad industrial applications. Although n....

Carbonic anhydrases (CA) are present in archaea, bacteria, and eukaryotes and catalyze the interconversion of CO2 and H2O with bicarbonate (HCO3−) and prot

Meristem organization in land plants depends on coordinated auxin distribution, transport and response, yet how these processes are integrated during vegetative growth of the gametophyte of non-seed p...

Capturing water vapor inflows into Kyushu to improve forecast accuracy for linear rainbands

Recombinant proteins have transformative potential in biomedicine, but their production is often costly and carries contamination risks. Plants offer an attractive alternative, with low growth costs a...

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation is the dominant method for plant transgenesis, yet it frequently produces multi-copy, structurally complex T-DNA insertions associated with transgene silencing, u...

The Green Lineage (Viridiplantae) represents one of the most successful evolutionary radiations on Earth, with remarkable morphological diversity from…

Background Sex chromosomes evolve from autosomes and are expected to be initially homomorphic, though they may become heteromorphic over time. In diploid systems, one sex chromosome often degenerates,...

MpRAD51 links homologous recombination–mediated DNA repair with morphogenesis, revealing an evolutionarily conserved role in maintaining genome stability a

Plants can propagate their own clones through asexual reproduction. Genetic and hormonal factors regulating asexual reproduction have begun to be eluc…

Bryophytes may hold natural compounds that keep hungry snails away from crops while avoiding the broader risks of conventional chemical controls.

Auxin modulates a conserved developmental program in moss phyllids by spatiotemporally controlling cell division and growth.

Abstract. Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) underpins nearly all primary production yet remains a slow, error-prone enzyme because

Membrane pseudoproteases sustain chloroplast function in Euglena and reveal an unexpected protein import system, highlighting convergent evolution in cellu

Traditional agricultural delivery methods, such as foliar spray and soil application, suffer from low uptake efficiency, environmental contamination, and short-term effects, whereas nanoparticle-mediated delivery platforms face issues of stability, cytotoxicity, and regulatory concerns. Recently, microneedle (MN) technology has emerged as a promising alternative for precise, minimally invasive delivery of agrochemicals and biomolecules. In this opinion article, we explore the evolution of MN-based delivery systems in agriculture. We discuss the structure–function relationships of MNs (solid, hollow, dissolving, and coated MNs) and highlight their applications in nutrient delivery, pathogen control, and genome editing for plants. We conclude with challenges and future directions for integrating MNs into precision agriculture to improve crop productivity, sustainability, and genetic manipulation.

The genome of Arabidopsis thaliana consists of 10 chromosomes. By inducing CRISPR-Cas–mediated breaks at subcentromeric and subtelomeric sequences, we fused entire chromosome arms, obtaining two eight...

Author summary Many plants avoid self-fertilization through a system of self-incompatibility, which allows them to recognize and reject their own pollen. In plants like those in the Arabidopsis family...

De novo gene origination from noncoding regions is a major source of genetic innovation. Dong et al. [1] (Nat. Genet. 2025; 57:2562–2569) reveal that bryophytes harbor an exceptionally high abundance of such genes, establishing them as a new and key system for studying the mechanisms and evolutionary consequences of new gene emergence in plants.

Unlike bacteria or yeast, moss can produce large polypeptides of human collagen along with the post-translational modifications that make it stable and bioactive.

Progress has always been made by people who think differently. Neurodiversity helps us think outside the box – and when we do, the sky’s the limit, says space scientist Maggie Aderin