Entries by Mary Williams

Intracellular distribution of manganese by NRAMP2 critical for photosynthesis and redox homeostasis

/in , , , /by

Manganese is a micronutrient essential for the function of several proteins including manganese superoxide dismutase (localized in the peroxisome and mitochondria) and the photosystem II reaction center (localized in the chloroplast). Mn is transported via NRAMP (Natural Resistance-Associated Macrophage Protein) transporters.  Through reverse genetics and functional complementation of yeast mutants, Alejandro and Cailliatte et al. […]

The plastid genome in Cladophorales green algae is encoded by hairpin chromosomes ($)

/in , , , /by

Plastids, the cellular sites for light reaction of photosynthesis, have a reduced genome which is circular and double stranded, ranging in the size from about 100 to 200 Kb. Some exceptions to this circular nature of plastid genomes are found in some groups of phytoplanktons, namely dinoflagellates, and as described in this work, Cladophorales green […]

Review. Artificial evolution: Creating genetic diversity in the lab ($)

/in , , , /by

Humans have been domesticating plants for 10,000 years, having an impact on the gene pools of multiple species chiefly through selective breeding approaches. Although plant domestication ensured food availability to early civilizations, plants were, and still are, mainly selected based on their morphology and physiology, which include traits such as seed or fruit size, and […]

Review: Emerging roles of cortical microtubule–membrane interactions ($)

/in , , , /by

The plant cytoskeleton forms a dynamic and complex architecture in all plant cells and comes with a myriad number of functions, from allowing intracellular transport to regulating gene expression. In this review, Yoshihisa Oda focuses on the purposes of cortical microtubule (cMT) arrays, which are anchored to the plasma membrane and form highly-ordered structures. Oda […]

Letter: New database for metal and metalloid accumulating plants

/in , , , /by

Plants that can accumulate metals or metalloids in their living tissues to extremely high levels (hyperaccumulators) can be used to model metal uptake and biotic interactions and used for phytoremediation, among other uses. While the uses for hyperaccumulators are vast, until now a database with global coverage of hyperaccumulators has been lacking. The new Global […]

Commentary: The next generation of training for Arabidopsis researchers: Bioinformatics and quantitative biology

/in , , , /by

Friesner and 38 other authors have written a Commentary outlining the need to radically redesign training for plant scientists to work with the massive production of biological data. They recommend a comprehensive revision of how we train undergraduate through post-docs, as well as opportunities for current faculty to acquire training. (We asked three of the […]

What We’re Reading: December 8th

/in , , , /by

Commentary: The next generation of training for Arabidopsis researchers: Bioinformatics and quantitative biology Friesner and 38 other authors have written a Commentary outlining the need to radically redesign training for plant scientists to prepare for the massive production of biological data. They recommend a comprehensive revision of how we train undergraduate through post-docs, as well […]

Update: Impacts of fluctuating light on crop performance

/in , , , /by

Light intensity varies seasonally, with time of day, with cloudiness, and as overlying leaves move in the wind.  A sudden change in light intensity alters photosynthetic responses, but not all responses change at the same rate. For example, upon an increase in light intensity, photosynthetic electron transport can be upregulated more rapidly than stomatal conductance, […]