Entries by Ching Chan

Review. Alternative modes of RLK function: Insights into cleavage-driven plant signaling

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Receptor-like kinases (RLKs) constitute a large family of membrane-bound proteins in plants. The Arabidopsis genome encodes over 600 RLKs, while the rice genome contains more than 1,000. RLKs are best known for their role in perceiving environmental stimuli and triggering downstream signaling pathways that promote stress resilience, primarily through protein–protein interactions and phosphorylation cascades. Interestingly, […]

Viewpoint: A new lens on ectomycorrhizal function: exploring the absorber-miner spectrum

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Mycorrhizal symbiosis is widespread in nature, occurring in approximately 90% of terrestrial plant species, and played a crucial role in enabling plant colonization of land over 450 million years ago. The majority (>80%) of these associations are formed by endomycorrhizae, in which fungi from the phylum Glomeromycota penetrate the cortical cells of host plant roots, […]

Bidirectional root-shoot signaling via CCR1 regulates cluster root and nodule development in legumes

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Legume plants are renowned for their ability to form symbiotic relationships with nitrogen-fixing bacteria (rhizobia) in specialized root tissues called nodules. This symbiosis enables the conversion of atmospheric nitrogen into ammonia, a form of nitrogen that plants can readily use for growth. This trait also makes legumes valuable as green manure for sustainable agriculture. However, […]

Uncovering the kinase switch to coordinate symbiosis and immunity

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Biological nitrogen fixation is a vital natural process that converts atmospheric nitrogen into bioavailable forms, enabling its assimilation into essential biomolecules such as amino acids and nucleic acids. This unique capability is primarily carried out by specialized microbes, often through their symbiotic association with legume plants. The success of this symbiosis depends on the plants’ […]

Plant surveillance: The emerging role of substrate-binding proteins

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Plants are sessile organisms and, unlike animals, cannot escape adverse environmental conditions. To cope with this limitation, they have evolved a complex surveillance system to detect and respond to fluctuating conditions such as resource scarcity, environmental changes, and pathogen attacks. Membrane-bound receptors play a central role in these processes. It has long been recognized that […]

Rewiring sugar signaling for global agriculture: A decade of progress in harnessing the T6P pathway

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Rewiring sugar signaling for global agriculture: A decade of progress in harnessing the T6P pathway While sugar signaling plays a crucial role in grain filling and ultimately determines grain crop yield, direct genetic manipulation often results in pleiotropic effects and raises legislative concerns, limiting its practical application in agriculture. To address this, a “signaling-precursor” concept […]

Cracking the code of rice grain quality under heat stress

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Rice is one of the most important food crops globally, providing more than 20% of the world’s calorie intake and over 75% for the population in Asia. Therefore, apart from yield, grain quality is another critical agronomic trait for breeding and improvement, especially under stressful environmental conditions. By comparing the two major rice subspecies, Indica […]

Plant Science Research Weekly: March 21, 2025

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Resolving phytohormone response zones by fluorescent reporters Phytohormones such salicylic acid (SA), ethylene (ET), and jasmonic acid (JA) are known to regulate plant immunity, but their spatial dynamics has remained unclear. Using a set of fluorescent reporters in Arabidopsis, Calabria et al. resolved the hormonal responses upon Fusarium oxysporum infection at single-cell level. The authors […]