Review: N-degron pathway-mediated proteostasis in stress physiology The rate of most biological processes is ultimately determined by protein activity levels, which of course are determined by rate of degradation or inactivation as well as production. Dissmeyer reviews the Cys/Arg branch of the N-degron pathway (previously called the N-end rule pathway) that contributes to protein degradation. […]
Most synthetic pesticides do not stick well on plants especially during raining season and can be washed off during irrigation shorty after application. Therefore, the farmer may need to apply several times or hope for dry days to spray. Swinges et al. developed a synthetic peptide with two separate functional groups; one adheres to the […]
Mango trees have been cultivated for approximately 4000 years which places their domestication in the same timeline as that of walnut, peach, sweet orange, lychee, citron, sweet orange, lemon, and jujube. Throughout the process of domestication, most crops undergo severe bottlenecks which decrease genetic diversity. The effects of these bottlenecks have not been extensively studied […]
Synthetic biology is a set of tools, a way of thinking, the integration of engineering principles into biological sciences, and potentially the biggest opportunity for advances in plant sciences since PCR. Yet many struggle to define it, and fewer still grasp its full potential. Now, four early-career synthetic biologists have conducted a set of video interviews […]
Over the course of 26 years Richard Lenski, a professor at Michigan State University, watched the E. coli bacteria used in his lab multiply through over 59,000 generations. He used his lab freezer as a “time machine” and collected samples after every 75 days, roughly every 500 generations. Over time, he saw some lines double in size, […]
In 2014, ASPB launched Plantae as part of our ongoing commitment to create a vibrant and engaging community for plant scientists. Currently, Plantae has over 9,000 users and the content generated by this community is broadcast to over 27,000 people on social media. Each year we select a group of Plantae Fellows to help nurture […]
We’re excited to announce the launch of a new Plant Science Events Calendar on Plantae.org. This service is provided free…
Nitrogen (N) is a main constituent of amino acids and nucleotides and therefore plays a central role in plant growth, development, and stress responses. Plants are able to take up nitrogen from the soil in two forms, nitrate and ammonium. Nitrate is the predominant form of nitrogen found in most crop soils. This review paper […]
Rice (Oryza sativa) is an important food source in many parts of the world. Unfortunately, this crop requires large amounts of water and it is not tolerant of drought or high temperatures. Here, Caine et al., have engineered the ‘IR64’ rice cultivar so that leaves will have lower stomatal density. Engineered plants used 40% less […]