Entries by Gourav Arora

Unraveling the epitranscriptomic-chromatin axis: How NERD regulates flowering in Arabidopsis

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Flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana is governed by complex genetic and epigenetic networks. A central component of this regulation is the floral repressor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), whose expression is modulated by histone modifications, particularly the activating H3K36me3 and the repressive H3K27me3 marks. While these chromatin-level mechanisms have been extensively studied, emerging evidence highlights a crucial […]

Breaking the breeding cycle: Parthenogenesis paves the way for faster sunflower breeding

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Hybrid crops are key to modern agriculture, offering higher yields, improved stress resilience, and greater uniformity through heterosis (“hybrid vigor”), where offspring from two different inbred lines outperform their parents. However, producing homozygous inbred lines for stable hybrid seed production traditionally takes at least six generations of self-pollination, slowing breeding progress. Doubled haploid (DH) technology […]

The hidden architecture of symbiosis: Casparian strips in root and nodule integration

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The Casparian strip (CS), a lignin-rich apoplastic barrier in the root endodermis, forms early in development and regulates solute flow between the soil and the vasculature. It allows plants to control ion uptake, defend against pathogens, and coordinate developmental signals. While its functions in these processes are well studied, its role in root nodule symbiosis […]

SHUKR in the sporophytic tissue directs male gametophyte development in Arabidopsis

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In flowering plants, reproduction involves the alternation of two generations: the diploid sporophyte and the haploid gametophyte. Traditionally, the male gametophyte was thought to develop autonomously with minimal regulation by the sporophyte. However, recent research by Sivakumar, Pandey, and Ramesha et al. challenges this view, identifying the SHUKR (SKR) gene in Arabidopsis, which plays a […]

Classic regulators, new functions: FT and TFL1 shape Arabidopsis seed traits

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FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) and TERMINAL FLOWER1 (TFL1), two members of the phosphatidylethanolamine-binding protein (PEBP) family, are well-known regulators of flowering time and inflorescence architecture in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, recent work by Bigas et al. uncovers their additional roles in regulating seed traits, such as dormancy and size. Using CRISPR/Cas9-generated mutants in the Ler background, the study shows […]