How do Chromosomes Evolve via Unstable Intermediates?
Yalin Liu, Handong Su, Jing Zhang, et al. explore centromere birth and death by inducing rearrangements via pollen irradiation in maize. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.20.00389
Background: The centromere is one of the most important components of chromosomes. Every normal chromosome has one…
More Than Just a FAD(5): Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Chloroplasts Elicit Protective Autoimmunity
Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) chloroplast-division mutants that have abnormally large chloroplasts have been around for quite some time, not only because they can be identified relatively easily through screening (Pyke & Leech 1991) and because their spectacular morphology sparks intrigue, but…
Gaining sugars while sweating, how do leaves regulate their osmolarity?
Guillaume Charrier
Université Clermont Auvergne, INRAE, PIAF, F-63000 Clermont-Ferrand, France.
guillaume.charrier@inrae.fr
Leaves are specialized for the photosynthetic assimilation of atmospheric carbon, but they also are responsible for the transpiration of water into the atmosphere, as…
Plant Metabolic Redox Dynamics–Live!
Steinbeck et al. investigate in vivo NAD redox dynamics in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.20.00241
By Janina Steinbeck and Markus Schwarzländer
Background: All organisms rely on their cellular metabolism to live, develop, grow, and procreate. Metabolism provides the energy,…
Recognizing Plant Direct authors: Marco Bürger
Marco Bürger, first author of In-silico analysis of the strigolactone ligand-receptor system
Current Position: Senior research associate
Education: PhD: Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology; B.S., M.Sc.: University of Osnabrück
Non-scientific Interests: reading, traveling
Brief bio:…
ASPB Is Proud to Recognize Its Reviewers During Peer Review Week 2020
The American Society of Plant Biologists is proud to celebrate Peer Review Week 2020, which recognizes peer reviewers and focuses on the theme “Trust in Peer Review.”
In 2020, our plant biology community, like the rest of the world, was impacted by the devastating effects of COVID-19. Despite…
A Molecular Determinant of Rice Plant Architecture
Plant architecture is a major determinant of rice (Oryza sativa) productivity. Rice plant architecture is mainly defined by plant height, the spatial pattern of leaves, and tiller and inflorescence branching patterns. Plant height and tiller branching determine the biomass and harvest index, while the…
Sphingolipids and Plasmodesmata
Plasmodesmata are cytoplasmic channels that physically connect the cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of adjoining plant cells. These intercellular channels play important roles during plant development by allowing the molecular exchange of signaling molecules such as transcription factors, RNAs,…
The Regulation of Cuticle Biosynthesis
The outer surface of the aerial parts of land plants is covered by the cuticle, a waxy layer that provides a barrier against damage caused by environmental factors as well as protection against non-stomatal water loss. Castorina et al. (10.1104/pp.20.00322) now show that both cuticle deposition and…