@article{lazaro-gimeno_circadian_2024,
	title = {The circadian clock participates in seasonal growth in {Norway} spruce ({Picea} abies)},
	volume = {44},
	issn = {1758-4469},
	url = {https://doi.org/10.1093/treephys/tpae139},
	doi = {10.1093/treephys/tpae139},
	abstract = {The boreal forest ecosystems of the northern hemisphere are dominated by conifers, of which Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] H. Karst.) is one of the most common species. Due to its economic interest to the agroforestry industry, as well as its ecological significance, it is important to understand seasonal growth and biomass production in Norway spruce. Solid evidence that the circadian clock regulates growth in conifers has proved elusive, however, resulting in significant gaps in our knowledge of clock function in these trees. Here, we reassess the impact of the circadian clock on growth in Norway spruce. Using a combination of approaches monitoring the physiology of vegetative growth, transcriptomics and bioinformatics, we determined that the clock could be playing a decisive role in enabling growth, acting in specific developmental processes influenced by season and geographical location to guide bud burst and growth. Thus, the evidence indicates that there is time for spruce.},
	number = {11},
	urldate = {2024-11-29},
	journal = {Tree Physiology},
	author = {Lázaro-Gimeno, David and Ferrari, Camilla and Delhomme, Nico and Johansson, Mikael and Sjölander, Johan and Singh, Rajesh Kumar and Mutwil, Marek and Eriksson, Maria E},
	month = nov,
	year = {2024},
	pages = {tpae139},
}

The boreal forest ecosystems of the northern hemisphere are dominated by conifers, of which Norway spruce (Picea abies [L.] H. Karst.) is one of the most common species. Due to its economic interest to the agroforestry industry, as well as its ecological significance, it is important to understand seasonal growth and biomass production in Norway spruce. Solid evidence that the circadian clock regulates growth in conifers has proved elusive, however, resulting in significant gaps in our knowledge of clock function in these trees. Here, we reassess the impact of the circadian clock on growth in Norway spruce. Using a combination of approaches monitoring the physiology of vegetative growth, transcriptomics and bioinformatics, we determined that the clock could be playing a decisive role in enabling growth, acting in specific developmental processes influenced by season and geographical location to guide bud burst and growth. Thus, the evidence indicates that there is time for spruce.

@article{carneiro_schinus_2024,
	title = {Schinus terebinthifolia {Raddi}—{Untargeted} {Metabolomics} {Approach} to {Investigate} the {Chemical} {Variation} in {Volatile} and {Non}-{Volatile} {Compounds}},
	volume = {14},
	copyright = {http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/},
	issn = {2218-1989},
	url = {https://www.mdpi.com/2218-1989/14/11/612},
	doi = {10.3390/metabo14110612},
	abstract = {Context: Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi is used in Brazilian folk medicine due to the wound healing and antiseptic properties of its bark, and its fruit are used as a condiment. However, the aerial parts of this plant have been studied and present some bioactive compounds as well. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the variation in volatile and non-volatile composition of S. terebinthifolia leaves using untargeted metabolomics. Material and Methods: The leaves of four trees were collected over one year; ethanolic extracts were analyzed by UHPLC-MS and fresh leaves were analyzed by GC-MS using HS-SPME. The data were processed using online software. Results: The results suggest seasonality interfered little with the chemical composition of leaves. On the other hand, the sex of the plant clearly determined the chemical composition of both volatile and non-volatile compounds. Discussion and conclusions: Chemical variability between plants with male and female flowers is fundamental information for the standardized use of its leaves. Compounds with important biological activities were putatively identified, confirming the potential use of S. terebinthifolia leaves as a source of bioactive compounds, reducing waste and increasing economic gains for local farmers throughout the year.},
	language = {en},
	number = {11},
	urldate = {2024-11-29},
	journal = {Metabolites},
	author = {Carneiro, Mara Junqueira and Pinheiro, Guilherme Perez and Antunes, Elisa Ribeiro Miranda and Hantao, Leandro Wang and Moritz, Thomas and Sawaya, Alexandra Christine Helena Frankland},
	month = nov,
	year = {2024},
	note = {Number: 11
Publisher: Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute},
	keywords = {\textit{Aroeira}, GC-MS, UHPLC-MS, pink pepper, plant sex, seasonality},
	pages = {612},
}

Context: Schinus terebinthifolia Raddi is used in Brazilian folk medicine due to the wound healing and antiseptic properties of its bark, and its fruit are used as a condiment. However, the aerial parts of this plant have been studied and present some bioactive compounds as well. Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the variation in volatile and non-volatile composition of S. terebinthifolia leaves using untargeted metabolomics. Material and Methods: The leaves of four trees were collected over one year; ethanolic extracts were analyzed by UHPLC-MS and fresh leaves were analyzed by GC-MS using HS-SPME. The data were processed using online software. Results: The results suggest seasonality interfered little with the chemical composition of leaves. On the other hand, the sex of the plant clearly determined the chemical composition of both volatile and non-volatile compounds. Discussion and conclusions: Chemical variability between plants with male and female flowers is fundamental information for the standardized use of its leaves. Compounds with important biological activities were putatively identified, confirming the potential use of S. terebinthifolia leaves as a source of bioactive compounds, reducing waste and increasing economic gains for local farmers throughout the year.

@article{bag_photosynthetic_2024,
	title = {Photosynthetic advantages of conifers in the boreal forest},
	issn = {1360-1385},
	url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1360138524003005},
	doi = {10.1016/j.tplants.2024.10.018},
	abstract = {Boreal conifers – the ‘Christmas trees’ – maintain their green needles over the winter by retaining their chlorophyll. These conifers face the toughest challenge in February and March, when subzero temperatures coincide with high solar radiation. To balance the light energy they harvest with the light energy they utilise, conifers deploy various mechanisms in parallel. These include, thylakoid destacking, which facilitates direct energy transfer from Photosystem II (PSII) to Photosystem I (PSI), and excess energy dissipation through sustained nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ). Additionally, they upregulate alternative electron transport pathways to safely reroute excess electrons while maintaining ATP production. From an evolutionary and ecological perspective, we consider these mechanisms as part of a comprehensive photosynthetic alteration, which enhances our understanding of winter acclimation in conifers and their dominance in the boreal forests.},
	urldate = {2024-11-28},
	journal = {Trends in Plant Science},
	author = {Bag, Pushan and Ivanov, Alexander G. and Huner, Norman P. and Jansson, Stefan},
	month = nov,
	year = {2024},
	keywords = {alternative electron transport, conifers, direct energy transfer, flavodiiron proteins, nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ), photosystems},
}

Boreal conifers – the ‘Christmas trees’ – maintain their green needles over the winter by retaining their chlorophyll. These conifers face the toughest challenge in February and March, when subzero temperatures coincide with high solar radiation. To balance the light energy they harvest with the light energy they utilise, conifers deploy various mechanisms in parallel. These include, thylakoid destacking, which facilitates direct energy transfer from Photosystem II (PSII) to Photosystem I (PSI), and excess energy dissipation through sustained nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ). Additionally, they upregulate alternative electron transport pathways to safely reroute excess electrons while maintaining ATP production. From an evolutionary and ecological perspective, we consider these mechanisms as part of a comprehensive photosynthetic alteration, which enhances our understanding of winter acclimation in conifers and their dominance in the boreal forests.

@article{parker_biohybrid_2024,
	title = {Biohybrid {Energy} {Storage} {Circuits} {Based} on {Electronically} {Functionalized} {Plant} {Roots}},
	volume = {16},
	issn = {1944-8244},
	url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.3c16861},
	doi = {10.1021/acsami.3c16861},
	abstract = {Biohybrid systems based on plants integrate plant structures and processes into technological components targeting more sustainable solutions. Plants’ biocatalytic machinery, for example, has been leveraged for the organization of electronic materials directly in the vasculature and roots of living plants, resulting in biohybrid electrochemical devices. Among other applications, energy storage devices were demonstrated where the charge storage electrodes were seamlessly integrated into the plant tissue. However, the capacitance and the voltage output of a single biohybrid supercapacitor are limited. Here, we developed biohybrid circuits based on functionalized conducting roots, extending the performance of plant based biohybrid energy storage systems. We show that root-supercapacitors can be combined in series and in parallel configuration, achieving up to 1.5 V voltage output or up to 11 mF capacitance, respectively. We further demonstrate that the supercapacitors circuit can be charged with an organic photovoltaic cell, and that the stored charge can be used to power an electrochromic display or a bioelectronic device. Furthermore, the functionalized roots degrade in composting similarly to native roots. The proof-of-concept demonstrations illustrate the potential of this technology to achieve more sustainable solutions for powering low consumption devices such as bioelectronics for agriculture or IoT applications.},
	number = {45},
	urldate = {2024-11-22},
	journal = {ACS Applied Materials \& Interfaces},
	author = {Parker, Daniela and Dar, Abdul Manan and Armada-Moreira, Adam and Bernacka Wojcik, Iwona and Rai, Rajat and Mantione, Daniele and Stavrinidou, Eleni},
	month = nov,
	year = {2024},
	note = {Publisher: American Chemical Society},
	pages = {61475--61483},
}

Biohybrid systems based on plants integrate plant structures and processes into technological components targeting more sustainable solutions. Plants’ biocatalytic machinery, for example, has been leveraged for the organization of electronic materials directly in the vasculature and roots of living plants, resulting in biohybrid electrochemical devices. Among other applications, energy storage devices were demonstrated where the charge storage electrodes were seamlessly integrated into the plant tissue. However, the capacitance and the voltage output of a single biohybrid supercapacitor are limited. Here, we developed biohybrid circuits based on functionalized conducting roots, extending the performance of plant based biohybrid energy storage systems. We show that root-supercapacitors can be combined in series and in parallel configuration, achieving up to 1.5 V voltage output or up to 11 mF capacitance, respectively. We further demonstrate that the supercapacitors circuit can be charged with an organic photovoltaic cell, and that the stored charge can be used to power an electrochromic display or a bioelectronic device. Furthermore, the functionalized roots degrade in composting similarly to native roots. The proof-of-concept demonstrations illustrate the potential of this technology to achieve more sustainable solutions for powering low consumption devices such as bioelectronics for agriculture or IoT applications.

@article{hermida-carrera_cdk8_2024,
	title = {{CDK8} of the mediator kinase module connects leaf development to the establishment of correct stomata patterning by regulating the levels of the transcription factor {SPEECHLESS} ({SPCH})},
	volume = {47},
	copyright = {© 2024 The Author(s). Plant, Cell \& Environment published by John Wiley \& Sons Ltd.},
	issn = {1365-3040},
	url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/pce.15102},
	doi = {10.1111/pce.15102},
	abstract = {The components of the mediator kinase module are highly conserved across all eukaryotic lineages, and cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) is essential for correct cell proliferation and differentiation in diverse eukaryotic systems. We show that CDK8 couples leaf development with the establishment of correct stomata patterning for prevailing CO2 conditions. In Arabidopsis, the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor SPEECHLESS (SPCH) controls cellular entry into the stomatal cell lineage, and CDK8 interacts with and phosphorylates SPCH, controlling SPCH protein levels and thereby also expression of the SPCH target genes encoding key regulators of cell fate and asymmetric cell divisions. The lack of the CDK8-mediated control of SPCH results in an increased number of meristemoid and guard mother cells, and increased stomata index in the cdk8 mutants. Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations trigger a developmental programme controlling cell entry into stomatal lineage by limiting the asymmetric divisions. In cdk8, the number of meristemoids and guard mother cells remains the same under ambient and high CO2 concentrations, as the accumulated levels of SPCH caused by the lack of CDK8 appear to override the negative regulation of increased CO2. Thus, our work provides novel mechanistic understanding of how plants alter critical leaf properties in response to increasing atmospheric CO2.},
	language = {en},
	number = {12},
	urldate = {2024-11-08},
	journal = {Plant, Cell \& Environment},
	author = {Hermida-Carrera, Carmen and Vergara, Alexander and Cervela-Cardona, Luis and Jin, Xu and Björklund, Stefan and Strand, Åsa},
	year = {2024},
	note = {\_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1111/pce.15102},
	keywords = {CO2 response, climate change, drought},
	pages = {5237--5251},
}

The components of the mediator kinase module are highly conserved across all eukaryotic lineages, and cyclin-dependent kinase 8 (CDK8) is essential for correct cell proliferation and differentiation in diverse eukaryotic systems. We show that CDK8 couples leaf development with the establishment of correct stomata patterning for prevailing CO2 conditions. In Arabidopsis, the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor SPEECHLESS (SPCH) controls cellular entry into the stomatal cell lineage, and CDK8 interacts with and phosphorylates SPCH, controlling SPCH protein levels and thereby also expression of the SPCH target genes encoding key regulators of cell fate and asymmetric cell divisions. The lack of the CDK8-mediated control of SPCH results in an increased number of meristemoid and guard mother cells, and increased stomata index in the cdk8 mutants. Increasing atmospheric CO2 concentrations trigger a developmental programme controlling cell entry into stomatal lineage by limiting the asymmetric divisions. In cdk8, the number of meristemoids and guard mother cells remains the same under ambient and high CO2 concentrations, as the accumulated levels of SPCH caused by the lack of CDK8 appear to override the negative regulation of increased CO2. Thus, our work provides novel mechanistic understanding of how plants alter critical leaf properties in response to increasing atmospheric CO2.