Ananya Mukherjee ORCID ID: 0000-0003-1802-1806 [email protected] University of Nebraska Lincoln Lincoln, NE 68588 In the photosynthetic Calvin-Benson cycle, the enzyme ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) fixes CO2 into organic compounds. A major limitation of Rubisco is that oxygen can compete with CO2 for the active site of the enzyme, resulting in the wasteful process of […]
Eukaryotic gene expression is largely governed by transcription factors (TFs), the nuclear proteins that bind to specific DNA sequences and determine when and where genes are turned on. Transcriptional gene regulatory networks (GRNs) that modulate developmental processes and environmental responses consist of TFs and their target genes (nodes), connected by the regulatory interactions among them […]
A well-oiled machine: two fatty-acid exporters involved in seed oil biosynthesis Mehran Dastmalchi [email protected] Oilseed plants such as canola (Brassica spp.) are a massive, multi-billion dollar industry, with their lipids contributing to food, cosmetics, polymers and biofuels. For the plant, seed oil is a form of high-density energy storage, much more efficient than carbohydrates. The […]
Sözen et al. describe two independent MAPK signaling cascades that are each activated with different kinetics, providing an immediate and delayed response to herbivore feeding. The Plant Cell (2020) https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00917 By Cécile Sözen, Marie Boudsocq and Jean Colcombet, Université Paris-Saclay, CNRS, INRAE, Univ Evry, Institute of Plant Sciences Paris-Saclay (IPS2), Orsay, France Background: One […]
Magdalena M. Julkowska [email protected] Developmental and environmental changes are communicated systemically throughout the plant by various signals, ranging from electric currents to plant hormones. As the responses elicited by the systemic signals depend on the tissue and sub-cellular context, the signal needs to be adjusted at every scale, which can be achieved by regulating […]
Wu et al. found that FUSCA3, which regulates seed development, is localized to specific cells of the ovule and seed coat and is itself regulated by BASIC PENTACYSTEINE (BPC) proteins. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00764 By Sonia Gazzarrini (University of Toronto, Dept. Biological Sciences & Dept Cell and Systems Biology) and Jian Wu (University of Toronto, Dept. […]
Variation in leaf morphology across the angiosperms is impressive and abounds. Leaves are the primary photosynthetic organ for most angiosperms, acting as the primary sites of light capture and gas exchange. Typical of grass leaves, maize leaves are strap-like and simple, with unelaborated margins. Leaves take their shape early in development, arising as lateral primordia […]
Li et al. report a regulatory module that controls the initiation of axillary meristems, thereby determining plant branching. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.20.00012 By Yu Li and Yunhai Li State Key Laboratory of Plant Cell and Chromosome Engineering, CAS Centre for Excellence in Molecular Plant Science, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, The Innovative Academy of Seed […]
Plant cell walls are one of the great engineering feats of nature, providing immense structural strength and durability. The core components of plant cell walls (pectin, hemicellulose, and cellulose) can occur in different proportions and vary in their structure and assembly, thus allowing cell walls to be tailored for specific purposes. To achieve this variability, […]