Entries by Mary Williams

Divergent strategies to maintain steady state protein levels in algal and angiosperm chloroplasts (Nature Plants)

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Plants and their algal predecessors both utilize chloroplasts for photosynthesis and other essential metabolic processes. The endosymbiotic origin and subsequent co-evolution of this autotrophic organelle introduced striking regulatory mechanisms combining both prokaryotic and eukaryotic strategies for optimal functionality and control. In a recent article, Trosch et al. (Nature Plants) performed a comprehensive comparison of chloroplast […]

What We’re Reading: August 10

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Genome assemblies of maize lines Mo17 and W22: Extensive intraspecific variation, and resource for functional biology The maize genome is largely composed of transposable elements, which is one reason maize has been such a powerful genetic model. However, these transposons also mean that there is a great deal of genetic variability between inbred lines, which […]

Recognizing Plant Physiology first authors: Molly Perchlik

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Molly Perchlik, first author of Leaf Amino Acid Supply Affects Photosynthetic and Plant Nitrogen Use Efficiency under Nitrogen Stress Current Position: In search Education: Ph.D. in Plant Biology, Washington State University. B.S. in Biology, Indiana University (Bloomington) Non-scientific Interests: Travel, hiking, camping, choir, board games Brief bio: During my undergraduate studies at Indiana University, I worked in the […]

Recognizing Plant Physiology first authors: Linhui Yu

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Linhui Yu, first author of Starch Deficiency Enhances Lipid Biosynthesis and Turnover in Leaves Current Position: Postdoctoral fellow, Bioscience Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York, USA Education: PhD in Plant Biology at the School of Life Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China. Non-scientific Interests: Travelling, hiking, movies, reading. Brief bio: I earned my doctoral […]

Recognizing Plant Cell first authors: Fernanda A.L. Silva-Alvim

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Fernanda A.L. Silva-Alvim, first author of Predominant Golgi-residency of the plant K/HDEL receptor is essential for its function in mediating ER retention Current Position: Visitor student, Centre for Plant Sciences, University of Leeds/UK Education: BSc in Food Engineer, Master in Agroenergy, Federal University of Tocantins/Brazil Non-scientific Interests: Travelling, books, movies, music, theatre, fitness, exercising and beauty care. Brief […]

Review: MYBs drive novel consumer traits in fruits and vegetables (Trends Plant Sci)

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The MYB transcription factors, specifically the R2R3 family of MYBs, are closely associated with the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis. This easy-to-score trait made MYBs some of the earliest characterized plant transcription factors. Allan and Espley summarize the contributions of MYBs to pigmentation in flowers, fruits, leaves and even other organs (e.g., purple cauliflower). Because anthocyanins […]

Review: Regulation of pattern recognition receptor signalling by phosphorylation and ubiquitination (Curr. Opin. Plant Biol.)

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A key step in pathogen recognition occurs at the cell surface with the interaction between receptor-like kinases (pattern-recognition receptors) and their ligands. This event triggers a signal-transduction cascade that leads to the induction of defense responses. Mithoe and Menke review our current understanding of these signals, focusing on the contributions of protein activation and inactivation […]

Receptor kinase THESEUS1 is a RALF 34 receptor with roles in lateral root development (Curr. Biol.)

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RALF peptides were identified nearly 20 years ago, as small peptides that induce rapid alkalinisation of the culture medium when added to cell suspension cultures.  Previously, members of the receptor-like kinase  (RLK) family including FERONIA (FER) have been identified as RALF receptors.  A related RLK, THESEUS1 (THE1), was known to have a role in cell […]

What a difference a base makes: A single nucleotide confers Alternaria resistance in apple ($) (Plant Cell)

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Golden Delicious apples are particularly susceptible to the fungal pathogen Alternaria alternaria f. sp. mali. Zhang et al. have traced this susceptibility to a single nucleotide in the promoter of gene encoding a hairpin RNA (hpRNA), MdhpRNA277. This hpRNA produces small RNAs that selectivey target five resistance genes. In susceptible plants, the hpRNA is produced […]