In plants, gravity sensing is orchestrated by specialized cells called statocytes that contain starch-filled plastids (amyloplasts) called statoliths, whose positions are influenced by the direction of gravity. However, the molecular mechanisms of gravity sensing and signaling are poorly understood. In Arabidopsis, LAZY1-LIKE (LZY) family genes have been shown to be required for auxin redistribution in […]
Mature grass leaves contain two specialized types of epidermal cells: stomata and epidermal hairs (trichomes). Stomatal pores are crucial for CO2 uptake and water conservation, while epidermal hairs contribute to water regulation and provide protection against UV-B light. If stomatal identity is not specified, hair cells can be formed instead in Brachypodium distachyon, while in […]
The Arabidopsis thaliana leaf exhibits dramatic phenotypic changes across the juvenile-to-adult phase transition during vegetative development. For example, juvenile leaves are small, round, and lack trichomes (leaf hairs). By contrast, adult leaves contain trichomes on the abaxial (or lower) leaf surface, serrations on the leaf margin, and a lengthened leaf blade. The switch between the […]
The CRISPR/Cas system has become a popular genome editing (GEd) method in animals and plants, which allows very fine alterations in target genes and avoids the concerns that accompany introducing genes from other organisms. To improve food security and accelerate breeding. this technology has been applied to important crops such as rice, sorghum, maize, and […]
Bending or folding in plants is influenced by different factors such as environmental conditions (nutrient, water, light, gravity), abiotic or biotic stress, cell wall properties, and cell differential growth. Jonsson et al. explain how bending is achieved by considering molecular mechanisms, mathematical models, and biophysical aspects. The plant bending process can be classified into ‘fountain-like’ […]
The gynoecium is the female reproductive structure of flowering plants. This complex organ, composed of different tissues, is an excellent model for studying plant organ development. Although the gynoecium has been extensively studied from a genetic point of view and a few studies have been carried out about protein interactions, we are still missing the […]
The shoot apical meristem (SAM) maintains a small pool of pluripotent stem cells, which are the source of all above-ground plant tissues. In Arabidopsis thaliana, CLAVATA3 (CLV3), CLAVATA1(CLV1) and RECEPTOR-LIKE PROTEIN KINASE2 (RPK2) repress WUSCHEL (WUS) expression. WUS induces CLV3, forming a local feedback loop to maintain the stem cell population. Cytokinin is also involved […]
In plant development, advanced computer model simulations allow the understanding of the non-intuitive relations between local morphogenetic processes and global patterning. In Arabidopsis thaliana, the hormone auxin is involved in several processes of plant development. Auxin transporters play an important role in its distribution within plant tissue. The PIN-formed (PIN) and B sub-family of membrane-bound […]
Live Plant Cell Tracking: A Fiji plugin to analyze cell proliferation dynamics and understand morphogenesis Morphogenesis in plants occurs in 3D space over time, referred to as 4D. Recent advances in high-resolution microscopy imaging and computational pipelines have helped to better understand plant organ development at cellular resolution. Hernández-Herrera et al. developed a plugin, “Live […]