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Abstract The ability to respond to varying environments is crucial for sessile organisms such as plants. The amphibious plant Rorippa aquatica exhibits a striking type of phenotypic plasticity known as heterophylly, a phenomenon in which leaf form is altered in response to environmental factors. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of heterophylly are yet to be fully understood. To uncover the genetic basis and analyze the evolutionary processes driving heterophylly in R. aquatica, we assembled the chromosome-level genome of the species. Comparative chromosome painting and chromosomal genomics revealed that allopolyploidization and subsequent post-polyploid descending dysploidy occurred during the speciation of R. aquatica. Based on the obtained genomic data, the transcriptome analyses revealed that ethylene signaling plays a central role in regulating heterophylly under submerged conditions, with blue light signaling acting as an attenuator of ethylene signal. The assembled R. aquatica reference genome provides insights into the molecular mechanisms and evolution of heterophylly.

Multi-omic and evolutionary analyses of the ultrasmall green algae, Medakomo hakoo, suggest that it might belong to a new genus within the class Trebouxiophyceae and provide further insight into the essential genes for microalgae.

Abstract Laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) has been reported as a safe, minimally invasive, and effective surgery for the management of liver tumor. However, the efficacy and safety of laparoscopic repeat liver resection (LRLR) for recurrent liver tumor are unclear. Here, we analyzed the surgical results of LRLR. From June 2010 to May 2019, we performed 575 LLR surgeries in our department, and 454 of them underwent pure LLR for the single tumor. We classified the patients who received pure LLR for the single tumor into three groups: LRLR (n = 80), laparoscopic re-operation after previous abdominal surgery (LReOp; n = 136), and laparoscopic primary liver resection (LPLR; n = 238). We compared patient characteristics and surgical results between patients undergoing LRLR, LReOp and LPLR. We found no significant differences between LRLR and LPLR in the conversion rate to laparotomy (p = 0.8033), intraoperative bleeding (63.0 vs. 152.4 ml; p = 0.0911), or postoperative bile leakage rate (2.50 vs. 3.78%; p = 0.7367). We also found no significant difference in the surgical results between LReOp and LPLR. However, the number of patients undergoing the Pringle maneuver was lower in the LRLR group than the LPLR group (61.3 vs. 81.5%; p = 0.0004). This finding was more pronounced after open liver resection than laparoscopic liver resection (38.9 vs. 67.7%; p = 0.0270). The operative time was significantly longer in patients with proximity to previous cut surface than patients with no proximity to previous cut surface (307.4 vs. 235.7 min; p = 0.0201). LRLR can safely be performed with useful surgical results compared to LPLR.

Shibuta et al develop a live imaging system that allows them to track the spatiotemporal dynamics of RNA polymerase II modification in single cells in Arabidopsis thaliana. This approach potentially enables a more detailed understanding of transcriptional dynamics in plants.

Plant regeneration can occur via formation of a mass of pluripotent cells known as callus. Here, Ishihara et al. show that acquisition of regenerative capacity of callus-forming cells requires a lysine-specific demethylase that removes H3K4me2 to prime gene expression in response to regenerative cues.

Boron is essential for plant survival but high levels can impair growth and cause DNA damage. Here the authors show that Arabidopsis can ameliorate Boron toxicity via proteasomal degradation of BRAHMA to minimize open chromatin and reduce the likelihood of DNA double strand breaks.