Variable temperature processing by plasmodesmata regulates robust bud dormancy release
Dormancy is a key mechanism in perennial plants in boreal and temperate regions, protecting buds from winter damage by repressing precocious bud break before spring onset. How plants robustly time dormancy release under fluctuating environments remains unknown. Here, we show that, rather than simply sensing cold duration, buds leverage warm spikes to sense winter progression and time dormancy release. This timing mechanism is mediated by previously unrecognized regulation of plasmodesmata by warm spikes acting through tree ortholog of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT1) and the gibberellic acid pathway. Our results reveal FT1 as a previously unrecognized, suppressor of callose levels and show that warm spikes repress cold induction of FT1 and GA pathway to suppress PD opening and dormancy release. Importantly, buds exhibit heterogeneity in bud break. This heterogeneity in bud break crucial for bet hedging is amplified under temperature fluctuations and is associated with the thermal responsiveness of plasmodesmata. Altogether, our work reveals dynamic plasmodesmata regulation as a crucial tissue-level mediator of variable temperature processing by buds, enabling robust adaptation of trees to seasonal changes.
Authors
- Bibek Aryal (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0840-6956)
- Pál Miskolczi (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1036-5831)
- Fabrice P. Cordelières (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5383-5816)
- Emmanuelle Bayer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8642-5293)
- Lysiane Brocard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9397-1660)
- Shashank K. Pandey (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0787-3125)
- Swanand Khanapurkar
- Rishikesh P. Bhalerao (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4384-7036)
- Abdul Azeez (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2631-9496)
- Hannah Dromiack (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3097-9718)
- Aswin Nair
- Tatiana Sousa Moraes
- George W. Bassel
- Guillaume Maucort
- Gwendolyn V. Davis
- Sara I. Walker
Institutions
- Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR)
- Université de Bordeaux (FR)
- Inserm (FR)
- Ames National Laboratory (US)
- University of Warwick (GB)
- Bordeaux Population Health (FR)
- Laboratoire de Biogenèse Membranaire (FR)
- Umeå Plant Science Centre (SE)
- Arizona State University (US)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Nature Communications
- Published
- 2026-01-14
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-67260-z
- Citations
- 2
- Primary Topic
- Plant Physiology and Cultivation Studies
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 62.68
Funders
- Leverhulme Trust
- European Commission
- Agence Nationale de la Recherche
- Knut och Alice Wallenbergs Stiftelse
- Vetenskapsrådet
- Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet
- Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council