Volume 10 Issue 2, February 2024

The mechanisms shaping plant succession after glacier retreat are dynamic. Compositional dissimilarity between communities decreases over time, accompanied by a shift in the relative contribution of taxa addition versus replacement. Taxa addition prevailed in early communities, whereas replacement became more important after 50 years of succession.

We reveal that the transcription factor SPATULA (SPT) directly interacts with, and is modified by, the O-glycosyl transferases SECRET AGENT (SEC) and SPINDLY (SPY) in Arabidopsis thaliana. O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) and O-fucose post-translational modifications (PTMs) promoted elongation of the gynoecium apex (style) and its radial symmetry by promoting SPT function.

Brassinosteroids are perceived by the plasma membrane receptor BRI1. This Review summarizes what is known about the multi-layered interaction network that fine-tunes the activity and dynamics of BRI1 at the cell surface.

Genome synthesis is moving into the multicellular era. This study redesigned and replaced a 155 kb chromosomal region with synthetic sequence in the model moss Physcomitrium patens. The simplified sequence obtains the correct epigenetic landscape.

Newly sequenced seagrass genomes unveil a hexaploid ancestry for seagrasses. The transition to marine environments involved fine-tuning of many processes that all had to happen in parallel, probably explaining why adaptation to a marine lifestyle has been rare.

The mechanisms shaping plant succession are dynamic. Compositional dissimilarity between communities decreases over time, underlined by a predominance of taxa addition in early communities, with replacement becoming more important after 50 yr.

Preferential fertilization of the egg or central cell during double fertilization has long been controversial. The authors demonstrate preferential sperm–egg fusion in Arabidopsis and show that EGG CELL 1, which is secreted by the egg cell, plays a decisive role in this process.

The Arabidopsis O-glycosyltransferases SEC and SPY modify the transcription factor SPT and synergistically promote style elongation. Specific SPT residues modified by O-GlcNAc and O-fucose are essential for style radialization.

PIN-FORMED auxin transporters are activated by D6PK, the localization of which depends on cysteine S-acylation. Phosphorylation by PDKs regulates D6PK transport and residence time, and prevents lateral diffusion, revealing novel mechanisms for membrane interaction and polarity.

Visualizing cellular Pi distribution is crucial for the understanding of Pi signalling and homeostasis in plants. Here Guo et al. developed a rapid colorimetric Pi imaging method to reveal the intracellular Pi distribution and related regulators.

The near telomere-to-telomere genome of Physcomitrium patens reveals 26 chromosomes and new genome structures, while also identifying new telomeres, an improved chromosomal karyotype model and intriguing differences in 3D genome models between the protonema and gametophore stages, which offer promising prospects for future research.