Our findings highlights a key evolutionary trade-off between stomatal defense and gas exchange. Huge thanks to everyone involved! @kenichitsuda.bsky.social

We found that this gene regulation is required for rapid stomatal opening in response to light to enhance gas exchange. We also show that variations in the CYP707A1 promoters account for the differential stomatal responses across Brassicaceae species.

The absence of this gene regulation in C. rubella and E. salsugineum is associated with resistance against coronatine-mediated stomatal opening. We then asked what drive this diversification in Brassicaceae.

We show that coronatine transcriptionally activates the ABA hydroxylase gene CYP707A1 to open stomata, promoting bacterial invasion. Interestingly, within Brassicaceae, Arabidopsis thaliana and Arabidopsis lyrata possess this gene regulation, while Capsella rubella and Eutreme salsugineum do not.

oh it 1000% is. there’s a reason this has been a desk meme wall staple since I made it in undergrad