The nutritional quality of cereals often suffers from a deficiency in essential amino acids, especially lysine. Recently, High Free Lysine (HFL) rice (Oryza sativa) has been genetically engineered. The free lysine content in the mature endosperm of two HFL transgenic lines (HFL1 and HFL2) is increased by 25-fold compared to the wild type. The lysine-biofortified rice significantly […]
Dinoflagellates in the genus Symbiodinium have the ability to enter into endosymbiotic associations with corals, providing the metabolic basis for the highly productive and biologically diverse coral-reef ecosystems, as well as with other cnidarians, including sea anemones and jellyfish. The Symbiodinium-coral association is highly susceptible to environmental perturbations such as high temperature that can result in the loss […]
Boron (B) is an essential micronutrient for plant growth and development. Its major physiological function is to maintain the structure of the cell wall by crosslinking pectic polysaccharides through borate-diol bonding of two rhamnogalacturonan II molecules. B is immobile in most plant species. Therefore, a continuous supply of B is required to maintain growth of […]
Heterosis refers to the tendency of a crossbred individual to show qualities superior to those of both parents. The phenomenon has been exploited extensively in agricultural breeding for decades and has improved crop performance enormously. Despite its commercial impact, knowledge of the molecular basis underlying heterosis remains incomplete. Most studies have focused on finding genetic […]
Mineral deposits occur in many, but not all plant leaves. In those leaves that do have minerals, the mineral type, morphology and the distributions within the leaves are under strict control. In fact, mineralization in certain leaves is a well-preserved trait throughout evolution, indicating that such controlled mineralization is advantageous. The most widespread leaf minerals are […]
Anthocyanins are vacuolar pigments derived from the phenylpropanoid pathway that are produced in many different plant species. The role of anthocyanin accumulation under stress in vegetative tissues is probably linked to the scavenging of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Anthocyanins are powerful antioxidants and, as part of human diet in seeds, fruit and leaves are proposed to have health […]
Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is a globally cultivated globally crop of vast economic importance. Pathogens and pests are major limitations to cotton yield and quality. Verticillium wilt, caused by the fungus Verticillium dahliae, is the disease most detrimental to cotton production. Cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), once the most serious insect pest of cotton, has been well controlled by the […]
Ethylene is a gaseous plant hormone that affects the growth and development of plants and mediates plant stress responses. Ethylene is perceived by a family of five receptors in Arabidopsis thaliana including ETHYLENE RESPONSE1 (ETR1) and ETR2. Surprisingly, there are cases where the different ethylene receptor isoforms have contrasting roles. For example, ethylene-stimulated nutational bending […]
The coordinated differentiation of cell types during the metamorphosis of an organ is crucial for ensuring that the final form of the organ is appropriate for itsfunction. A case in point is the photosynthetic function of plant leaves that requires chloroplast-containing cells in the middle leaf layers to be interspersed with veins (to supply water […]