The angle at which leaves extend are held in a rice plant (tiller angle) affects the plant’s ability to intercept light and therefore potential yield. Genetic studies have identified a few genes involved in tiller angle, including the LAZY1 gene that encodes a protein involved in auxin transport. To identify other genes involved in this […]
Potato is susceptible to many pathogens. To facilitate breeding programs, Ramšak et al. combined transcriptomic data from potato/virus interactions with a defense network model developed mainly from Arabidopsis. Their model revealed a previously undescribed interaction between ethylene and salicylate signalling, involving the direct transcriptional regulation of NPR1 by EIN3, indicating that transcriptional as well as […]
Auxin methylation is required for differential growth in Arabidopsis Plants need to navigate and adjust their growth according to the environmental clues, such as light or gravity. Asymmetric distribution of auxin is necessary for organ bending. Abbas and colleagues show that conversion of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) into methyl-IAA (Me-IAA) is important for asymmetric auxin distribution. […]
Živa Ramšak, first author of Network modelling unravels mechanisms of crosstalk between ethylene and salicylate signalling in potato Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher at the National Institute of Biology, Ljubljana, Slovenia Education: PhD in Bioinformatics (Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia) Non-scientific Interests: Music, cooking, running, chess, swing dance Brief bio: I received my Bachelor’s degree […]
Inês Carqueijeiro, featured first author of Two tabersonine 6,7-epoxidases start synthesis of lochnericine-type alkaloids in Catharanthus roseus Current Position: Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Tours Education: PhD in Plant Biochemistry at the University of Porto (2013), MS in Plant Biology at University of Porto (2008) and BS in Biology at University of Évora (2005) Non-scientific Interests: International politics, dance […]
Plant Physiology recently published a Focus Issue on Cell Dynamics. We asked the editors involved to tell us about what is meant by Cell Dynamics and why this topic is interesting and relevant, as well as about the Focus Issue program in general. This 11-minute video features Editor-in-Chief Mike Blatt (University of Glasgow), and Issue […]
Here’s a fascinating story; starting with an association study, Xie et al. found that a protein previously identified as an enzyme involved in phenylpropanoid metabolism (specifically, 5-enolpyruvylshikimate 3-phosphate synthase, EPSP) also acts as a transcriptional regulator of this pathway, not only increasing lignin content but also the expression of dozens of other genes involved in […]
Plant scientists are familiar with the steep drop in photosynthetic activity when plants are illuminated with far-red photons (> 700 nm), because the energy of these long-wavelength photos is insufficient to initiate photochemistry at the chlorophyll a reaction center. Previously, some studies have indicated that the long-wavelength chlorophyll f can serve as an antenna complex […]
This week we have some guest contributions from undergraduate student interns working with Professor Maria Julissa Ek-Ramos from the Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon. Julissa helped the students select and read the papers, and worked with them on writing and editing the summaries, with additional editing provided by Mary Williams. What a nice learning experience. […]