Paclitaxel (sold as Taxol) is taxane diterpene natural product of yew trees (Taxus spp.)  and a potent stabilizer of microtubules that is effective in treatment of cancers. However, it has proven difficult to elucidate its biosynthetic pathway, and commercial production still relies on extracting an…

Seed germination is a critical developmental switch that depends not only on stored mRNA but also on the selective translation of these transcripts. In this study, Wang et al. explored how translational control of some genes can fine-tune the timing of germination.  Using translation inhibitors and…

Salt stress can severely affect cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) productivity, especially during early growth. Cao et al. identified a molecular switch in cotton that fine-tunes responses to salt stress and the hormone abscisic acid (ABA), based on the reversible phosphorylation of the ABA signaling phosphatase…

Special Science Issue: Plants and Heat The June 12 issue of Science has a focus on plants and heat that includes several excellent review and research articles. In a very interesting review, Singh Yadav et al. discuss the complex and fascinating question of how plants sense temperature, emphasizing…

Introduction In an era of tremendous progress in plant science, ethical questions have become critical.  From genetic changes to biotechnological interventions, researchers' ever-increasing capabilities make it necessary to consider the ethical consequences of their work.  Plant ethics is concerned…

The delivery of research outputs promotes knowledge exchange and provides bases for future studies. Protecting the outputs facilitates continuing knowledge sharing, which will enhance research development. Research outputs in any format can be protected. In this post, we will explore intellectual property…

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the publication of the first genome sequence of a plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, (see https://doi.org/10.1038/35048692). As this review by Bevan et al. observes, this exciting accomplishment was met with some skepticism by those who felt that it was not likely to…