The symbiotic interaction of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with plant roots enables the mutual exchange of carbon for nutrients such as phosphate. The course of this highly dynamic relationship can be followed by a combination of single-cell and spatial transcriptomics.

See Serrano, K. et al.

Centromeres affect epigenomic architecture and meiotic recombination. The Brazillian plant Rhynchospora breviuscula has holocentric chromosomes with multiple kinetochores along their length, rather than a single centromere. Here, chromosome synapsis dynamics is key to the broad-scale pattern of crossovers. The image shows anthers, pollen and meiocyte of R. breviuscula.

See Castellan et al.

Fire has been an ecological driving force on Earth as long as there have been plants to burn. But human activity has altered fire regimes in unprecedented ways, with profound global consequences for carbon storage, ecosystem services and biodiversity.

See Editorial

Developing embryos are supplied with maternally produced compounds, including glucosinolate defence compounds. To cross the four intervening cellular barriers requires plasma membrane-located exporters (such as UMAMIT29, labelled in green) and importers in maternal and embryonic tissues.

See Sanden et al.