Everyone enjoys hearing about ancient trees that have been alive since various events in human history, but did you ever stop to wonder why some trees live for millennia and others don’t? If so, you’ll want to read this Tansley Review by Piovesan and Biondi. One of their first observations is that in principle, trees […]
Review: On tree longevity Everyone enjoys hearing about ancient trees that have been alive since various events in human history, but did you ever stop to wonder why some trees live for millennia and others don’t? If so, you’ll want to read this Tansley Review by Piovesan and Biondi. One of their first observations is […]
Editors: Kenneth D. Birnbaum, Julia Bailey-Serres, Marisa Otegui, and Sue Rhee Deadline for Submission: May 1, 2021 Publication: December 2021 To submit an article, go to http://pphys.msubmit.net Many questions central to plant biology focus on the state of specialized cells and their response to the environment. Cellular states are relevant to every aspect of plant […]
Parasitic plants form haustoria, which are specialized multicellular structures that penetrate into their host’s vasculature and act as conduits for nutrients. The molecular and genetic contributors to haustorium development and function are well described. Here, Masumoto et al. have provided new insights into haustorium formation and structure through 3D reconstruction of serial thin (1 micron) […]
If you remember your biochemistry, lipids that are saturated (without double bonds) pack more tightly and therefore have a higher melting temperature than those that are unsaturated, therefore bend and pack less tightly (think of margarine versus oil). Plants can modify their membranes in a temperature-responsive way to maintain a consistent degree of fluidity. Resemann […]
Review: Age is NOT just a number Aging of plants is marked by the growth and differentiation of individual organs, as well as transitions of the whole plant through developmental phases: juvenile, vegetative adult, and reproductive phase. In their recent review, Rankenberg et al. discuss how abiotic stress responses vary in plants with their age. […]
We’re pleased to announce the next in our series of webinars that are drawn from contributed short videos, followed by a panel discussion. This week we’ll look at the topic of specialized metabolites, featuring scientists from the US, Israel, and India, moderated by Gitanjali Yadav. Plants are amazing chemists and have evolved a fantastic array […]
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS) are often presented as something of enigmas. They are damaging by-products of metabolism and stress, but also intentionally produced as a signal and defense response to pathogens. This excellent Update by Bleau and Spoel synthesizes new work towards understanding these apparently conflicting roles for ROS/RNS. First […]
It’s one of those plants that gets noticed, so we’re excited to see the press associated with the genome sequence of the large endoparasitic plant Sapria himalayana. Everyone has seen pictures of this plant, which lives entirely underground except when it produces its large (20 cm diameter) blood red flowers. Cai et al. describe how […]