Plant DNA Repair and Genome Stability

Plant genomes operate under constant threat. During normal growth, DNA lesions arise from replication errors and endogenous metabolism, while environmental pressures such as UV radiation, heat, drought, salinity, and oxidative bursts add further damage. Unlike animals, plants must endure these exposures in place, making genome maintenance a central pillar of survival, development, fertility, and long-term adaptation. In this context, the plant DNA Damage Response (DDR) is not only a safeguarding system—it is a gatekeeper of chromosome stability and a key determinant of how genetic variation accumulates across generations.The scientific foundations of plant genome integrity research stretch from classical cytogenetics and mutagenesis to modern molecular genetics and genomics. Early observations of stress- and radiation-induced chromosomal aberrations helped establish that genome stability is environmentally sensitive, while later discoveries of conserved checkpoint kinases (e.g., ATM/ATR) and plant-specific regulatory components (e.g., SOG1) revealed how plants coordinate repair, cell-cycle decisions, and development. Today, next-generation and third-generation sequencing, high-resolution microscopy, and genome engineering have transformed the field by enabling precise measurement of DNA damage outcomes—such as mutation spectra, structural variation, and chromosomal rearrangements—alongside mechanistic dissection of repair pathways.This Research Topic highlights the intersection of chromosome biology, DNA repair mechanisms, epigenetic regulation, and environmental drivers of genome instability. We welcome submissions that investigate the molecular and genetic basis of DDR signaling, DNA repair pathway choice (HR, NHEJ, BER, NER, MMR), and cell-cycle checkpoint control, as well as studies that connect these processes to chromatin organization, epigenetic marks, telomere/centromere function, and chromosome stability factors. We are particularly interested in work that bridges fundamental insight with practical relevance, including genome integrity in crops under field-relevant stress conditions and the implications of DDR for breeding, biotechnology, and climate resilience.In addition to mechanistic studies, we encourage contributions introducing or benchmarking robust quantitative approaches to assess DNA damage and repair in plants. This includes imaging- and cytology-based assays, reporter systems, and sequencing-driven strategies that capture repair outcomes at genome scale. Submissions may include original research, reviews, or perspectives that synthesize emerging concepts, identify gaps, or propose frameworks that link DNA damage to heritable genome change and plant performance.This topic aims to provide a platform for advancing our understanding of how plants preserve (or reshape) genome integrity, and how DDR knowledge can be leveraged to support sustainable agriculture and resilient crop improvement.We welcome submissions including (but not limited to):- DNA Damage Response signaling networks and genome surveillance in plants (e.g., ATM/ATR–SOG1 axis)- Molecular mechanisms of DNA repair (HR, NHEJ, BER, NER, MMR) and repair pathway choice- Cell-cycle control and checkpoint regulation linked to DNA damage and replication stress- Chromatin remodeling, epigenetic marks, and non-coding RNAs in DNA repair and genome stability- Telomere and centromere maintenance under DNA damage and stress conditions- Stress-driven DNA damage (UV, heat, drought/salinity, ROS) with chromosome- or genome-level outcomes- Genome integrity in crops: natural variation in DDR/repair genes and links to stress resilience and breeding- Sequencing-based characterization of mutation signatures, structural variants, and genome instability- Methodological advances for quantitative assessment of DNA lesions and repair dynamics in plants- Reviews and perspectives on emerging concepts connecting DDR to plant development and environmental adaptation Topic editors: Jose Antonio Pedroza-Garcia, Miriam Ewa Szurman-Zubrzycka Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/81175/plant-dna-repair-and-genome-stability