Front cover image:

A flavonoid O-methyltransferase (GhOMT1) in Gossypium hirsutum is found to play a critical role in anthocyanidin methylation. Deficiency of GhOMT blocks the anthocyanidins methylation, increases anthocyanidins accumulation and enhances PAs biosynthesis in fibers of NCCs. The multi-colored cotton fibers were selectively bred from the progeny of the empurpled mutant of GhOMT1 deficiency crossed with NCCs. This work broadens our understanding on mechanisms of plant color formation and open up huge possibilities to achieve cotton fibers with new colors. Cover illustration refers to the article in this issue (Ke et al., 1546–1560).

In this report, we show that Sly-miR164 produced from SlMIR164A acts through its target genes NAM2/NAM3 to regulate fruit chloroplast function and fruit ripening, which together impact fruit quality in tomato.

The transcriptional induction of OsERF115 by ethylene depends on OsEIL1 directly activating its expression. OsERF115 regulates the downstream genes to enhance cells proliferation and expansion, ultimately leading to an increase in grain size in rice.

The cytosolic FbβCA3 having low Km for CO₂ increase the hydration of CO₂. The dashed arrows indicate the diffusion of CO₂ within the cytosol and the organells. FbβCA3 overexpression increased the flux of the carboxylic acid to the tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) in mitochondria to play an an ansplerotic role to synthesize higher amounts of total amino acids and proteins that contribute to increase photosynthetic efficiency and biomass (OAA - oxaloacetic acid; PEP - phoshoenol pyruvate; PEPC - phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase; TCA cycle - tri carboxylic acid cycle).

The suppression of SlJUL function increases the number of phloem cells and sucrose transport but only an optimal reduction in SlJUL activity associated with a moderate increment in phloem tissue greatly enhances tomato yield.

A putative flavonoid O-methyltransferase (GhOMT1) in Gossypium hirsutum is found to play a critical role in anthocyanidin methylation. Deficiency of GhOMT1 blocks the anthocyanidins methylation, increases anthocyanidins accumulation and enhances PAs biosynthesis in fibres of NCCs which broaden our understanding on mechanisms of plant colour formation and open up huge possibilities to achieve cotton fibres with new colours.