Archive: December, 2022

Jing Hui et al. identified ZmAMT3;1 as a mycorrhiza-specific ammonium transporter that transfers ammonium from fungi to plants across the plant–fungus interface and enhances nitrogen acquisition in maize. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koac225 By Jing Hui and Lixing Yuan, China Agricultural…

Using new experimental tools, Cui et al. identified a surprising role for the BOS1 transcription factor in the regulation of programmed cell death. Plant Cell. (2022) https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koac206 Authors: F. Cui, M. Brosché, and K. Overmyer Affiliations: FC- Zhejiang A&F University,…

The ribosome is a macromolecular structure made up of many subunits. The proteins in these subunits were named based on their sedimentation rates and gel mobility, but different groups gave the proteins different names in various species, not based on homology. A ribosomal protein (r-protein) nomenclature…

I’m excited by the ways that knowledge about plant developmental and metabolic programs is being used to make new varieties of plants. This excellent review describes some of these applications such as changes in fruit size or seed number. De novo domestication is a specific type of application that…

In an evolutionary plot twist, most of the proteins needed inside the chloroplast are encoded in the nucleus and translated in the cytosol as preproteins. The preproteins are imported into the chloroplast through two membranes (outer and inner). Genetic and biochemical approaches have revealed many of…

Increasing nitrogen-use efficiency (NUE) and seed protein content are important for maize breeding. Modern maize hybrids have 6.5-16.5% seed protein content, while the wild ancestor of maize, called teosinte, has ~30% seed protein content. In addition, teosinte (accession Ames 21814) contains notably…

Climate change affects rain patterns and hydrological cycles all over the world, exacerbating water scarcity issues. Root branching is altered by local spatial differences in soil moisture. Indeed, when root tips temporarily lose contact with moisture, root branching stops until the appropriate moisture…

Cellulose synthase (CESA) complexes (CSCs) synthesize the main polysaccharide component of plant primary cell wall, cellulose. The trafficking and dynamics of CSC are tightly regulated. Kesten et al. identified a new family of CSC- and microtubule-interacting proteins, named TETRATRICOPEPTIDE THIOREDOXIN-LIKE…