Entries by Thomas Depaepe

Beat the heat with TWA1, a novel thermosensor in plants

Optimal temperatures for growth and development vary between plant species, making accurate temperature sensing crucial for their fitness. The search for molecular mechanisms underlying temperature signaling suggests that a single temperature sensor likely does not exist in plants. Instead, plants possess a variety of thermosensors, including photosensing-related proteins, RNA thermosensors, and even thermosensitive plasma membranes. […]

Alone or together: BRI1 signaling controls root growth in a cell-autonomous manner

Root growth is controlled by a dense network of hormone signals working in shared and distinct root zones and cell types. Brassinosteroids (BR) control root growth through activated signaling in vascular and epidermal tissues, but it is unclear how BR signals in each tissue contribute and whether there are cell non-autonomous effects. Using transgenic lines […]

NAPstars: the new stars of the redox imaging toolbox!

Redox reactions are an integral part of cellular metabolism and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate or NADP is an essential component due to its capacity to be oxidized or reduced. To get a better understanding of cellular redox homeostasis, precise quantification and visualization of NADP redox states is vital. Despite the availability of biosensors for hydrogen […]

RAF-like protein kinases mediate a deeply conserved, rapid auxin response

The definition of a phytohormone has not always been clear, though most plant biologists agree that phytohormones can be defined as endogenous molecules capable of triggering signaling cascades and associated responses by binding to specific receptors. They have been extensively studied in flowering plants, but in the last decade we witnessed a significant shift in […]