Review: Protein phosphorylation “toggle switch” for plant iron balance Protein phosphorylation and dephosphorylation act as a switch regulating a multitude of protein properties, be it their activity, interaction with other proteins, stability, or even cellular localization. This review by Li et al. describs the many ways that protein phosphorylation contributes to iron uptake and homeostasis. […]
By Sarah Courbier, PhD, Plant Physiology Assistant Features Editor A native of Kos, Greece, Eirini studied in the UK at the University of Glasgow, earning a degree in biotechnology and, later, a PhD investigating the function and localization of the first genetically encoded UV-B receptor, UVR8. Eirini went on to research phototropins and worked in […]
Gene Editing and its Applications Recorded Thursday, April 28, 2022 About This Webinar Recent advancements in gene editing provide unprecedented tools for plant biology research and offer unlimited potential for improving existing crops and de novo domesticating new crops. The Plant Physiology Focus Issue on Gene Editing and Its Applications, published April 2022, presents the […]
By Yunde Zhao (Plant Physiology EIC) and Mary Williams (Plant Physiology Features Editor) The mission of the Assistant Features Editor program is to help disseminate exciting discoveries published in Plant Physiology and to advance young scientists’ careers. This past January, Plant Physiology welcomed 13 new Assistant Features Editors to the editorial board. Together with Assistant […]
Review: Fire-released seed dormancy – a global synthesis In 1991, Jon E. Keely wrote the first review about the role of fire as a dormancy-breaking cue in California’s Mediterranean ecosystems. In this review, almost 30 years after Keely’s work, Pausas and Lamont provide us with an updated and worldwide vision of the subject. Four dormancy […]
At some point, most biology students learn the term “dioecy” (two houses), which refers to the separation of male and female function into different individuals, a characteristic that is common in animals but less so in flowering plants. About 6% of angiosperms and 65% of gymnosperms are dioecious, including familiar plants such as asparagus, cannabis, […]
Special issue: Sex determination and sex chromosome evolution in land plants, Philosophical Transactions B At some point, most biology students learn the term “dioecy” (two houses), which refers to the separation of male and female function into different individuals, a characteristic that is common in animals but less so in flowering plants. About 6% of […]
By Sjon Hartman, PhD Prof. Yunde Zhao completed his PhD in biochemistry at the University of Michigan under the supervision of Prof. Michael Marletta. He subsequently pursued a postdoc at Joanne Chory’s lab at the Salk Institute. In 2002, he started his lab at the University of California, San Diego, where he is until this […]
NLPs (Necrosis and ethylene-inducing peptide 1–like proteins) are small peptides produced by a variety of plant pathogens. Some NLPs are cytolysins meaning that they trigger lysis of their target cells. Here, Pirc et al. use an assortment of tools including molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, neutron reflectometry (NR), and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) to identify how […]