Entries by Vijaya Batthula

How do auxin temporal dynamics regulate patterning? (eLIFE)

Auxin forms spatial gradients that are implicated in organ morphogenesis. However, it is not known how temporal auxin gradients are integrated with the spatial information. In this paper, Galvan-Ampudia, Cerutti et al., showed using a ratiometric quantitative auxin reporter (quantitative DII-VENUS) that auxin moves faster than cellular growth in the shoot apical meristem (SAM), and […]

How far does stomatal activator and inhibitor signaling work in the plant epidermis? (bioRxiv)

Stomata are the pores on the plant surface surrounded by a pair of guard cells that control gaseous exchange and water loss. Among the many genes involved in stomatal patterning and development, EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR 1 (EPF1) and STOMAGEN encode signaling peptides and acts as negative (inhibitor) and positive (activator) regulators of stomatal patterning respectively. […]

“Order by disorder”- intrinsically disordered proteins (Plant Physiol.)

Intrinsically disordered proteins (IDP) have repetitive protein sequences but lack a defined 3D structure and are deployed to do some challenging functions that a protein with a defined 3D structure cannot perform. One such IDP, Oryza sativa REPETITIVE PROLINE-RICH PROTEIN (OsRePRP) is involved in inhibiting root growth during stress conditions. In this paper, Hsiao et […]

MASS proteins and stomatal development in Arabidopsis (PLOS Genetics)

Stomata are the pores surrounded by a pair of guard cells on the plant epidermis that help in gaseous exchange. The number and spacing of stomata are regulated by a series of phosphorylation and de-phosphorylation events of key transcription factors through the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal cascade [which includes MAPK kinases (MAPKKs), and MAPKK […]

Mystery of adventitious root formation in grapevine (Plant Physiol)

Grapevines (Vitis vinifera L.) are clonally propagated by stem cuttings, which depends on the formation of adventitious (stem-borne) roots. In this paper Chen at al., showed the function of microRNA encoded peptides (miPEPs) in adventitious root formation of cultured grape plantlets. MicroRNA biogenesis involves the transcription of microRNA genes (MIR) by RNA pol II to […]

Self-activation loop of STM maintains the meristematic activity of cells at leaf axil (Curr. Biol.)

Plasticity in plant development comes from the meristematic cells that are maintained throughout plant growth and among other things produce lateral organs such as shoot branches.  In this paper, Cao et al. show that the self-activation loop of SHOOT MERISTEMLESS (STM), a meristem marker gene that encodes a homeodomain transcription factor, is important for the […]

Versatile auto-luminescent luciferase-based reporters for spatiotemporal gene expression studies (eLIFE)

Firefly luciferase constructs are extensively used for gene expression studies but require a reaction with an exogenous substrate, so expression to some extent reflects tissue penetrance. Khakhar et al. designed customizable auto-luminescence constructs based on a fungal bioluminescence pathway (FBP) in which caffeic acid, an intermediate of lignin biosynthesis, is converted into luciferin by the […]