Review: Biogeochemical effects of early life on land
Plant Science Research Weekly, Research0 Comments
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Earth colonization by life happened billions of years ago. Weathering of soils by microbial mats leave a characteristic signal that can be used to shed light on the mechanisms involved in colonization. In this review, Lenton and Daines discuss the growing mass of evidence that points to the biogeochemical…
Review: Intracellular innate immune surveillance devices in plants and animals ($)
Plant Science Research Weekly, ResearchCells recognize invaders through both cell-surface receptors and intracellular receptors, the latter of which can recognize the invader directly or indirectly, for example through its effects on host proteins. Intracellular surveillance proteins in animals and plants share a core domain, the nucleotide…
Review: Evolutionary perspective on auxin’s role in shoot branching
Plant Science Research Weekly, ResearchShoot branching increases the photosynthetic surface area and the points at which reproductive structures can form. In angiosperms, auxin (specifically, auxin depletion) has been shown to be involved in the initiation and outgrowth of shoot branches. For example, in apical dominance the primary shoot…
Review: Endosperm and Imprinting
Plant Science Research Weekly, Research"The endosperm is often viewed as a complicated and rather strange tissue" begins this review by Gehring and Satyaki. They go on to describe that the endosperm is the site of expression of imprinted genes, which are genes that are expressed soley when inherited from the mother or father. The authors…
Biofortification of plants: New Reviews ($)
Plant Science Research Weekly, ResearchBiofortification is the nutritional enhancement (using conventional or genetic engineering approaches) of food with vitamins or micronutrients with the goal of improving the human diet. A set of new reviews in Current Opinion in Biotechnology summarizes progress towards biofortification of plants to…
Review: Plasmodesmata, pores between cells ($)
Plant Science Research Weekly, ResearchThe cytosol of most plant cells are connected by plasmodesmata, tiny channels that form bridges between adjoining cells (guard cells notably lack plasmodesmatal connections). Water, ions, small molecules, proteins and viruses can move through plasmodesmata. Upon wounding or infection, plasmodesmatal…
NSF - NIFA Plant Biotic Interactions Program (PBI)
Funding OpportunitiesThe Plant Biotic Interactions (PBI) program supports research on the processes that mediate beneficial and antagonistic interactions between plants and their viral, bacterial, oomycete, fungal, plant, and invertebrate symbionts, pathogens and pests. This joint NSF-NIFA program supports projects focused…
Research Awards and Fellowships at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University
Funding OpportunitiesThe Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University promotes and supports research consistent with its mission to discover and disseminate knowledge of the plant kingdom. To foster both independent and collaborative work, the Arboretum offers fellowships and awards to students, post-doctoral researchers, and…
Plant Feedstocks Genomics for Bioenergy: A Joint Research Funding Opportunity Announcement USDA, DOE
Funding OpportunitiesThe U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Science, Biological and Environmental Research (BER), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA), hereby announce their interest in receiving applications for genomicsbased research that will lead to the improved…