Entries by Mary Williams

Review Single-cell genomics and epigenomics: Technologies and applications in plants ($) (Trends Plant Sci)

Plants (embryophytes) are by definition multicellular, but we seek to understand them as the sum of the activities of individual cells. Much of this knowledge rests on information obtained through grinding up tissues  made up from several cell types. This review by Luo et al. describes methods for plant single-cell genomics and epigenomics studies. All […]

Plant Science Research Weekly: June 19th

Review Single-cell genomics and epigenomics: Technologies and applications in plants ($) Plants (embryophytes) are by definition multicellular, but we seek to understand them as the sum of the activities of individual cells. Much of this knowledge rests on information obtained through grinding up tissues  made up from several cell types. This review by Luo et […]

Essays on “What makes a paper *really* pioneering?”

What makes a paper *really* pioneering? This is the question we posed in a recent webinar. We asked each of our panelists to write a few words on this question, each focusing on a slightly different angle. In the recorded video (below), you can hear the panelists elaborate on these ideas. Here are their written […]

New Teaching Tool, “Three-Way Interactions between Plants, Microbes, and Arthropods (PMA): Impacts, Mechanisms, and Prospects for Sustainable Plant Protection”

We’re excited to announce the publication of The Plant Cell’s latest Teaching Tool, “Three-Way Interactions between Plants, Microbes, and Arthropods (PMA): Impacts, Mechanisms, and Prospects for Sustainable Plant Protection,” by Maria J. Pozo, Benedicte R. Albrectsen, Eduardo R. Bejarano, Eduardo de la Peña, Salva Herrero, Ainhoa Martinez-Medina, Victoria Pastor, Sabine Ravnsko, Mary Williams, and Argen […]

Review: Guard cell metabolism and stomatal function (Annu. Rev. Plant Biol.)

Stomatal conductance, gs, is one of the most important and highly regulated plant processes. Lawson and Matthews review how guard cell metabolism, stomatal anatomy and patterning, and signals from the mesophyll affect gs which in turn affects plant productivity and water use efficiency. This is an excellent review in its breadth; it covers all processes […]

Plant Science Research Weekly: June 12th

Review: Guard cell metabolism and stomatal function Stomatal conductance, gs, is one of the most important and highly regulated plant processes. Lawson and Matthews review how guard cell metabolism, stomatal anatomy and patterning, and signals from the mesophyll affect gs which in turn affects plant productivity and water use efficiency. This is an excellent review […]

Review: Functions of anionic lipids in plants (Annu. Rev. Plant Biol.)

Moving materials within and out of cells requires that membranes carry identification labels, but when the membrane itself moves, that ID label must be updated. These requirements are met ingeniously by the anionic lipids, which are both a modifiable information system and simultaneously modify the physicochemical properties of the membranes in which they are embedded. […]

A gene knock-out that leads to seedless parthenocarpic fruits in Solanaceae plants ($) (PNAS)

Parthenocarpy, or the ability to make fruit without fertilization, is desirable for many reasons including the opportunity to make seedless fruits and a greater resiliency in crop production in the face of climate change. Matsuo et al. identified a new gene involved in parthenocarpy, starting with a spontaneous parthenocarpic mutation arising in eggplant. The gene […]