A Lipid Droplet-Associated Degradation System in Plants
The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In BriefOnce viewed merely as inert packets of metabolic energy that are mobilized during postgerminative growth, lipid droplets (LDs) have emerged as dynamic organelles with important roles in processes ranging from stress responses to hormone signaling (Pyc et al., 2017). LDs consist of a core of neutral lipids…
Tic-Tac-Toe: How TIC and TOC Coordinate Getting Proteins Across the Line
The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In BriefMost proteins within a cell are encoded in the nucleus and then translated in the cytosol, but how do they end up where they need to be? With the exception of the few proteins expressed within the chloroplast, the process of shipping nucleus-encoded proteins into the chloroplast is dependent on N-terminal…
What We're Reading: August 17th
WWR Full PostPerspective: The multiplanetary future of plant synthetic biology
The exploration of space is one of the most inspiring areas of scientific research and a major driver of technological innovation. One of the major factors limiting human expansion trough space is the immensely high cost of resupplying…
Heterochromatin keeps RNA-directed DNA methylation in place?
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellFu et al. demonstrate a requirement for the heterochromatin factors CMT and DDM1 in RNA-directed DNA methylation in maize. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00053
By Fang-fang Fu and Jonathan I. Gent
Background: DNA methylation is a chemical modification of DNA consisting of addition…
A New Nuclear Transporter
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellYamada and Goshisma identify a nuclear transporter that controls the position of the nucleus during cell growth in plants https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00038.
Background: Transportation of cellular components to appropriate locations for their activity is a critical aspect of cell function. Microtubule…
Defense or Disease: It’s a Matter of Timing
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellMine et al. use RNA-seq to study RPS2-mediated bacterial resistance https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00970
By Akira Mine, Carolin Seyfferth and Kenichi Tsuda
Background: To fight against pathogens, plants can detect enemies and transduce the signal to reprogram gene expression in the cell as a defense…
Phytochrome B has Two Weapons to Disable its Interacting Proteins
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellPark et al. demonstrate that phytochrome B preferentially inhibits its interacting transcription factors via one of two mechanisms depending on light conditions. The Plant Cell (2018). https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00913.
By Eunae Park
Background: Phytochrome B (phyB) is a plant photoreceptor…
Insights Into How Genes are Turned On and Off in Plants
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellCarter et al. explore aspects of chromatin remodeling related to gene expression in Arabidopsis. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00867
By Benjamin Carter and Joe Ogas
Background: Plant tissues are composed of cells that all contain the same genomic information and yet have very different properties.…
Newly Discovered Abscisic Acid Transporter in Rice
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellYao et al. found that OsPM1 can move the plant hormone abscisic acid into rice cells. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00770.
By Lingya Yao and Xiaochun Ge
Background: Abscisic acid (ABA) is an important plant hormone that regulates plant seed dormancy and stress responses, especially drought responses.…