Recognizing Plant Physiology first authors: Lu Qin
Plant Physiology, Plant Physiology: Author ProfilesLu Qin, first author of Adaptation of roots to N deficiency revealed by 3-D quantification and proteomic analysis
Current Position: Associate Professor in Oil Crops Research, Institute of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Wuhan, China
Education: Ph.D. in Plant Nutrition at the State Key…
Towards Pathogen-Resistant Apples
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellZhang et al. show that a single-nucleotide polymorphism in a hairpin RNA promoter contributes to Alternaria alternata leaf spot resistance in apple and could serve as a marker to distinguish susceptible versus resistant apple cultivars. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00042.
Background: Apple Alternaria…
Assembling a Nanomolecular Power Station
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellZhang et al. investigate the assembly of a molecular motor that produces cellular ATP in chloroplasts https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00075.
By Lin Zhang, Lianwei Peng and Jean-David Rochaix
Background: The F-type ATP synthase produces nearly all of the cellular ATP, the universal energy currency…
How Peroxisomes Modulate Chloroplast Activity in a Microalga
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellBackground: Chloroplasts are the major powerhouse of plant and algal cells, where photosynthesis—the conversion of carbon dioxide into organic compounds using sunlight energy—occurs. Chloroplasts are also where important cell components (such as membrane lipids and pigments) and energy-rich compounds…
Taking the TOC/TIC path to the chloroplast
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellRichardson et al. explore the molecular topology of the chloroplast transit peptide and its nucleotide-dependent movement within the chloroplast protein import channel. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00172.
By Lynn GL Richardson and Danny J Schnell
Background: Chloroplasts, the site…
BSD2 is a Rubisco specific assembly chaperone, forms intermediary hetero‐oligomeric complexes and is non‐limiting to growth in tobacco (Plant Cell Environ)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe rubisco holoenzyme is comprised of eight large subunits and eight small subunits (L8S8). Several auxiliary proteins are required to correctly assemble the functional protein. In this manuscript, Conlan et al investigate the chaperone function of one of these proteins, BSD2, in tobacco. The authors…
Bundle sheath chloroplast volume can house sufficient Rubisco to avoid limiting C4 photosynthesis during chilling (J Exp Bot)
Plant Science Research WeeklyIt has long been thought that C4 species generally perform less well than C3 species in cold environments as a consequence of a physical space restriction. C3 species tend to accumulate more rubisco under chilling stress to avoid limiting photosynthesis, but there is less capacity for this in C4 species…
A thylakoid-located carbonic anhydrase regulates CO2 uptake in the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 (New Phytol)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe cyanobacterial CO2 concentrating mechanism (CCM) is dependent on a continuous supply of inorganic carbon (Ci) to rubisco inside carboxysomes in order to function optimally. CO2 uptake pathways are therefore of great importance for a full understanding of the cyanobacterial CCM. Sun et al demonstrate…
Roles of RbcX in carboxysome biosynthesis in the cyanobacterium Synechococcus elongates PCC 7942 (Plant Physiol)
Plant Science Research WeeklyIntroduction of the cyanobacterial carboxysome into C3 crops represents a viable strategy to increase photosynthetic conversion efficiency and boost crop yield. Key to this challenge is gaining a full understanding of the carboxysome system in cyanobacteria, including how these microcompartments assemble…