New mechanisms for the production and function of small RNAs continue to be discovered. Previous studies have shown a role for small RNAs in methylation reprogramming. Recently, Long et al. found that the epigenetic reprogramming that takes place in the male reproductive tissues also involves mobile…

Prions were first identified as the infectious protein agents causative of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease or bovine spongiform encephalopathy (mad cow disease); when individuals eat something containing these prion proteins, the prion proteins induce conformational changes in their brains leading to neurological…

Review: Convergent evolution of gene regulatory networks underlying plant adaptations The transition from aquatic to terrestrial habitats exposed plants to low water availability, high light, radiation, and other environmental challenges. To overcome these challenges, plants developed morpho-physiological…

Amundson et al. investigate the fate of parental DNA in crosses that produce uniparental dihaploids  By Kirk Amundson and Luca Comai  Background: Plants carrying only the chromosomes of one parent, i.e. haploids, are very useful for research and breeding. Certain crosses are known to yield haploid…

Sajina Bhandari, first author of "Triacylglycerol remodeling in Physaria fendleri indicates oil accumulation is dynamic and not a metabolic endpoint" Current Position: PhD candidate, Institute of Biological Chemistry, Washington State University (WSU), Pullman, WA Education: BS in Biotechnology,…

Hongxia Zhang, first author of "Seawater exposure causes hydraulic damage in dying Sitka-spruce trees" Current Position: Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, post-doctoral Education: Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, PhD; Inner…

Nadia Fernández-Jiménez, co-first author of "Defects in meiotic chromosome segregation lead to unreduced male gametes in Arabidopsis SMC5/6 complex mutants" Current Position: PhD student in Department of Genetics, Physiology and Microbiology, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain. Education:…

Fen Yang, co-first author of "Defects in meiotic chromosome segregation lead to unreduced male gametes in Arabidopsis SMC5/6 complex mutants" Current Position:  Ph.D. student at the Institute of Experimental Botany, Czech Acad Sci and the Department of Cell Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science,…