Recent Posts

Impact of genetically engineered maize on agronomic, environmental and toxicological traits (Sci. Rep.)

The question of the relative risks and benefits of genetically engineered (GE) maize is still in the middle of a heated debate, despite the widespread cultivation of GE crops (12% of the global crop-land) and long standing commercialization (since 1996).  Pellegrino et al. report a meta-analysis of…

Gibberellin DELLA signaling targets the retromer complex to redirect protein trafficking to the plasma membrane (PNAS)

Gibberellins including gibberellic acid (GA) are plant hormones required for growth and development. GA has been reported to regulate tropic responses by modulating plasma membrane localization of PIN auxin transporters. In this study, Salanenka et al. focused on the mechanism of GA-mediated protein…

Distinct sets of tethering complexes, SNARE complexes, and Rab GTPases mediate membrane fusion at the vacuole in Arabidopsis (PNAS)

In plant cells, vacuoles store and degrade wastes including proteins. Vacuolar targeting and fusion by endosomes are specified by SNARE complexes at the membrane. In this study, Takemoto et al. studied the function of two tethering complexes, HOPS (Homotypic fusion and Protein Sorting) and CORVET (Class…

Regulation of postembryonic root organogenesis from Arabidopsis leaf tissue (Plant Physiol)

Organogenesis is an essential process in embryonic development. Additionally, plants can generate new organs, such as roots, from postembryonic tissues utilizing postembryonic pathways. Bustillo-Avendaño and colleagues investigated de novo root formation from Arabidopsis thaliana leaf tissue. They…

Complete enzyme set for chlorophyll biosynthesis in Escherichia coli (Sci. Adv.)

Although the reactions and enzymes involved in the biosynthesis of chlorophyll are well known, the entire pathway has never before been reconstituted in a non-photosynthetic organism. Chen et al. have done this. The cells (E. coli) expressing the full pathway accumulate chlorophyll and look green! However,…

High yield and early maturation in rice overexpressing nitrate transporter (Plant Cell)

The application of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is crucial for good yields of crops like rice but also is energy intensive and polluting, so many approaches are being explored to develop plants that are more efficient in their uptake and use of nitrogen. Previous studies identified a crucial role…

High contiguity Arabidopsis thaliana genome assembly with a single nanopore flow cell (Nature Comms)

Every now and then a technology arrives on the scene that suddenly makes everything easier. When I was a student, PCR was developed. More recently, CRISPR/Cas9 applications were developed, and now the hot tool is nanopore flow cell sequencing. The crucial advancement in this method is that rather than…

What We're Reading: March 9th

Review. Plant evolution: landmarks on the path to terrestrial life "Simply put, land plants evolved once; the biological significance of this singularity is writ large across the surface of the globe." When I consider the incredible diversity found in life's rich tapestry, I'm continually amazed that…

Systemin receptor SYR1 enhances resistance against herbivorous insects (Nature Plants)

Systemin is the first polypeptide hormone identified in plants, in 1991. Systemin is a small polypeptide hormone that conveys information about insect herbivory systemically (to other tissues). A previous report suggested that the tomato homologue of the brassinosteroid receptor BRI1 serves as a systemin…