Piece and parcel of gymnosperm organellar genomes.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Significant past, present, and potential future research into the organellar (plastid and mitochondrial) genomes of gymnosperms that can provide insight into the unknown origin and evolution of plants is highlighted. Gymnosperms are vascular seed plants that predominated the ancient world before their sister clade, angiosperms, took over during the Late Cretaceous. The divergence of gymnosperms and angiosperms took place around 300 Mya, with the latter evolving into the diverse group of flowering plants that dominate the plant kingdom today. Although gymnosperms have reportedly made some evolutionary innovations, the literature on their genome advances, particularly their organellar (plastid and mitochondrial) genomes, is relatively scattered and fragmented. While organellar genomes can shed light on plant origin and evolution, they are frequently overlooked, due in part to their limited contribution to gene expression and lack of evolutionary dynamics when compared to nuclear genomes. A better understanding of gymnosperm organellar genomes is critical because they reveal genetic changes that have contributed to their unique adaptations and ecological success, potentially aiding in plant survival, enhancement, and biodiversity conservation in the face of climate change. This review reveals significant information and gaps in the existing knowledge base of organellar genomes in gymnosperms, as well as the challenges and research needed to unravel their complexity.

The chloroplast-associated protein degradation pathway controls chromoplast development and fruit ripening in tomato.

The maturation of green fleshy fruit to become colourful and flavoursome is an important strategy for plant reproduction and dispersal. In tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) and many other species, fruit ripening is intimately linked to the biogenesis of chromoplasts, the plastids that are abundant in ripe fruit and specialized for the accumulation of carotenoid pigments. Chromoplasts develop from pre-existing chloroplasts in the fruit, but the mechanisms underlying this transition are poorly understood. Here, we reveal a role for the chloroplast-associated protein degradation (CHLORAD) proteolytic pathway in chromoplast differentiation. Knockdown of the plastid ubiquitin E3 ligase SP1, or its homologue SPL2, delays tomato fruit ripening, whereas overexpression of SP1 accelerates ripening, as judged by colour changes. We demonstrate that SP1 triggers broader effects on fruit ripening, including fruit softening, and gene expression and metabolism changes, by promoting the chloroplast-to-chromoplast transition. Moreover, we show that tomato SP1 and SPL2 regulate leaf senescence, revealing conserved functions of CHLORAD in plants. We conclude that SP1 homologues control plastid transitions during fruit ripening and leaf senescence by enabling reconfiguration of the plastid protein import machinery to effect proteome reorganization. The work highlights the critical role of chromoplasts in fruit ripening, and provides a theoretical basis for engineering crop improvements.