Entries by Toluwase Olukayode

Nutrient dose-responsive transcriptome changes driven by Michaelis–Menten kinetics underlie plant growth rates (PNAS)

Plants can increase their growth and biomass proportionately to an increase in nutrient dose and, conversely, their growth is limited by limiting nutrients. In this study, Swift et al. explored the molecular underpinnings of the nutrient dose-response phenomenon. The authors first show that nitrogen-dose affects the rate of transcript change genome-wide in Arabidopsis. They showed […]

CsIVP functions in vasculature development and downy mildew resistance in cucumber (PLOS Biol)

High yielding crops are often less resistant to pathogens and vice versa, suggesting that there is an underlying mechanism co-regulating development and disease resistance in plants. Yan et al. identified a transcription factor in cucumber (CsIVP) that regulates vascular development and resistance to downy mildew (caused by the oomycete pathogen Pseudoperonospora cubensis). CsIVP is highly […]

Integrated multi-omics framework of the plant response to jasmonic acid (Nature Plants)

Jasmonic acid (JA) is involved in fertility, seed emergence and defense. JA perception and signal transduction are well understood, but there is limited understanding of the JA responsive genome regulatory program since only one or a small number of components are usually studied at once. Zander et al. report a multi-omics analysis of the JA […]

Death in cells overlying lateral root primordia facilitates organ growth in Arabidopsis (Curr. Biol.)

While cell division and cell expansion are known to be determinants of plant organ growth, little is known about the role of cell elimination and death in this process. Cell death indicators such as cell death- and autolysis-associated cysteine proteases have been observed in cells overlying the site of lateral root formation in many plant […]

MicroRNA397b-LACCASE2 module regulates root lignification under water- and phosphate deficiency ($) (Plant Physiol)

Water and nutrient availability are a major limiting factors for plant productivity. Plant have evolved a series of complex adaptive features that help them to survive in the hostile environment. Upregulation of lignin biosynthetic genes in roots under salt and water stress have been reported in some plant species, and in Arabidopsis roots during phosphate […]

A sensor kinase controls turgor-driven plant infection by the rice blast fungus ($) (Nature)

Magnaporthe oryzae, the causal organism of blast disease in rice and wheat, is the most devasting pathogen in rice production. During infection, it develops a germ tube that forms an infection structure called the appressorium. Through septin-mediated reorganization of the cytoskeleton, a high amount of turgor pressure is generated that allows it to rupture the […]

Two bifunctional inositol pyrophosphate kinases/phosphatases control plant phosphate homeostasis (eLIFE)

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for plant growth and development. P is predominantly absorbed by plants in its inorganic form, phosphate (Pi). Because Pi homeostasis is critical for balanced growth and development, plants like many other eukaryotic organisms have developed a complex system that enables them to sense, uptake, transport, store and redistribute Pi. […]

Nitrate–NRT1.1B–SPX4 cascade integrates N and P signaling networks (Nature Plants)

Plants need several mineral nutrients for their optimal growth and development. This is contingent on a proper nutrient balance particularly between the two most required essential elements, nitrogen (N) and phosphorus. Even though considerable success has been achieved in understanding the molecular mechanism mediating individual N and P signaling, the direct cross talk between N […]