Entries by Linda Palmer

UMP pyrophosphorylase-a moonlighting protein with essential functions in chloroplast development and photosynthesis establishment

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Pyrimidine nucleotides (e.g., dCTP, dTTP, UTP, and CTP) are essential building blocks for DNA and RNA synthesis in all organisms. In plants, sucrose and cell wall polymer synthesis depend on pyrimidine nucleotide-derived substrates, such as UDP-glucose, and important classes of membrane lipids are made using CDP-activated substrates. In addition to de novo synthesis pathways, pyrimidine […]

The “Ins and Outs” of ER–Chloroplast Lipid Trafficking

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Karki et al. revisit the long-standing question of how and where lipid trafficking occurs during galactolipid synthesis. They report evidence for metabolically distinct pools of phosphatidylcholine, suggesting an underlying spatial organization in the ER–chloroplast metabolic interactions. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00121 By Philip Bates Background: Chloroplast membranes composed predominantly from galactolipids are critical for the organization and […]

XAT catalyzes carotenoid esterification in wheat

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Watkins et al. have identified XAT as the enzyme responsible for esterification and subsequent  stabilization of lutein in wheat grains. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.09.00272 By Jacinta Watkinsa, Barry Pogsona and Diane Matherb. aARC Centre of Excellence for Plant Energy Biology, Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Australia bSchool of Agriculture, Food and Wine, Waite Research […]

Casparian Strip Formation in Rice

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Wang et al. identify a protein that mediates Casparian strip formation at the endodermis in rice roots. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.000296 By Jian Feng Maa and Jixing Xiab aInstitute of Plant Science and Resource, Okayama University, Japan bCollege of Life Science and Technology, Guangxi University, China Background: Plants absorb minerals from the soil to support growth and […]

The genome history of camelina emerges from the shadows

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Mandáková et. al. explore the origin of an ancient oilseed crop. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00366 Background: Camelina (Camelina sativa; gold of pleasure or false flax) is an ancient oilseed crop grown in Europe as early as 4000 BC. Gold of pleasure was largely forgotten as a crop, being replaced by oilseed rape, and recently re-discovered for its unique […]

Regulation of Florigen Trafficking

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Liu et al. elucidate the regulation of FT movement by a MCTP-SNARE complex. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00960   By Lu Liu and Hao Yu, Department of Biological Sciences and Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory, National University of Singapore, Singapore  Background: The transition to flowering is the most dramatic phase change in flowering plants, which is crucial for […]

Comparative Cell-Specific DNaseI-Seq Reveals Transcription Factor Binding Landscape in C3 and C4 Grasses

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Nearly every aspect of growth, morphogenesis, physiology, and stress response is influenced by cell/tissue-type specific gene expression. Transcription factors (TFs) recognize cis-regulatory elements and signal transcription machinery for gene regulation, and the interaction between TFs and their target genes creates spatiotemporal patterns of gene expression. Accurate functional annotation of these regulatory sites is essential for […]

The Pattern of Alternative Polyadenylation

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Yu et al. study the function of FY in alternative polyadenylation. The Plant Cell (2019) https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00545 Zhibo Yu, Juncheng Lin, Qingshun Quinn Li Background: Polyadenylation of eukaryotic messenger RNAs (mRNAs) involves the addition of a ‘tail’ of dozens to hundreds of adenosine (A) nucleotides to an mRNA. Polyadenylation requires poly(A) signal recognition, cleavage, and addition […]

Injecting new life into a classic technique

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Author: Robert P. Skelton Institution: Dept. of Integrative Biology, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, 94720; CA Commentary on Hochberg et al A new technique for rapidly quantifying xylem vulnerability curves In this volume of Plant Physiology, Hochberg et al. (2019) present a novel way to rapidly assess the xylem vulnerability of leaves that combines the […]