Entries by Nancy Eckardt

Gatekeepers of Storage Lipids in Seeds: The Switch-Off Mechanism

December 17, 2018 in , , /by

Deruyffelaere et al. investigate lipid mobilization during seed germination. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00275 By Sabine D’ANDREA and Corine ENARD Background:  In cells, storage lipids are compartmentalized in specialized organelles called lipid droplets (LDs). The structure of these compartments is conserved across kingdoms and unique among organelles, consisting of a phospholipid monolayer containing proteins and surrounding the storage […]

BBX28 Negatively Regulates Photomorphogenesis

December 17, 2018 in , , /by

Lin et al. show that B-BOX DOMAIN PROTEIN28 plays a role in regulating plant development in response to light signals. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00226. By Dongqing Xu and Xing Wang Deng Background: Sunlight is one of the key environmental cues influencing plant growth and development. In darkness, Arabidopsis seedlings undergo skotomorphogenesis, exhibiting elongated hypocotyls, closed cotyledons, […]

Regulation of Apical Hook Development: A Dual-Core Processes Complex Information

November 23, 2018 in , , /by

Zhang et al. investigate the regulation of apical hook development in Arabidopsis thaliana. The Plant Cell (2018). https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00018. By Xing Zhang, Yichuan Wang and Hongwei Guo. Background: For sessile plants, survival in dynamic nature is never easy! The very first challenge most seed plants need to overcome is protruding through the covering soil without damaging […]

Towards Pathogen-Resistant Apples

November 19, 2018 in , , /by

Zhang et al. show that a single-nucleotide polymorphism in a hairpin RNA promoter contributes to Alternaria alternata leaf spot resistance in apple and could serve as a marker to distinguish susceptible versus resistant apple cultivars. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00042. Background: Apple Alternaria leaf spot is one of the most devastating fungal diseases of apple. Chemical treatments are commonly […]

Assembling a Nanomolecular Power Station

November 19, 2018 in , , /by

Zhang et al. investigate the assembly of a molecular motor that produces cellular ATP in chloroplasts https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00075. By Lin Zhang, Lianwei Peng and Jean-David Rochaix Background: The F-type ATP synthase produces nearly all of the cellular ATP, the universal energy currency required for the biochemical reactions in living cells. This enzyme is one of the […]

How Peroxisomes Modulate Chloroplast Activity in a Microalga

November 19, 2018 in , , /by

Background: Chloroplasts are the major powerhouse of plant and algal cells, where photosynthesis—the conversion of carbon dioxide into organic compounds using sunlight energy—occurs. Chloroplasts are also where important cell components (such as membrane lipids and pigments) and energy-rich compounds (such as starch and fatty acids) are made. Because plants and algae often face strong variations […]

Taking the TOC/TIC path to the chloroplast

November 17, 2018 in , , /by

Richardson et al. explore the molecular topology of the chloroplast transit peptide and its nucleotide-dependent movement within the chloroplast protein import channel. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00172. By Lynn GL Richardson and Danny J Schnell Background: Chloroplasts, the site of photosynthesis and specialized metabolism, are a defining feature of plant cells.  Chloroplast function is dependent on the […]

Protein Phosphatases AUN1&2 Regulate Tip-Growth

November 8, 2018 in , , /by

Franck et al. demonstrate that protein phosphatases ATUNIS1 and 2 negatively regulate cell wall integrity in pollen tubes and root hairs of Arabidopsis. Plant Cell (2018). https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00284 By C. M. Franck, J. Westermann, S. Bürssner, R. Lentz, D. Lituiev, and A. Boisson-Dernier Background: Plant cells are protected from their environment by a rigid, yet flexible […]

Heat-inducible lipase HIL1 mitigates heat stress in Arabidopsis

November 8, 2018 in , , /by

Higashi et al. investigate the function of a heat-inducible lipase in Arabidopsis thaliana. Plant Cell (2018). https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00347 By Yasuhiro Higashi and Kazuki Saito Background: Land plants suffer from high-temperature stress, exacerbated by climate changes in recent years. Heat stress can cause membrane damage, and plants have developed a mechanism to change the membrane lipid composition […]