Research Blog

Calcium signalling is a ubiquitous process in plants and other organisms. Transporters at the plasma and vacuolar (tonoplast) membranes control entry and exit of calcium ion into the cytoplasm, and it is the cytoplasmic calcium level ([Ca2+]cyt) that affects cellular responses, as calcium-binding proteins…

Review: The evolution of calcium-based signalling in plants Calcium signalling is a ubiquitous process in plants and other organisms. Transporters at the plasma and vacuolar (tonoplast) membranes control entry and exit of calcium ion into the cytoplasm, and it is the cytoplasmic calcium level ([Ca2+]cyt)…

Review: Exploiting induced and natural epigenetic variation for crop improvement Variation provides the raw material for selection and improvement. Springer and Schmitz describe how natural and induced epigenetic variation supplements genetic variation. This review starts with a description of epigenetics,…

This week's edition of What We're Reading is guest edited by K.K. Sabu. Sabu is educated in the field of Plant Sciences and has working experience in plant genetics and genomics since 1995. His research interests include response of plants against environmental changes, natural variations in plant genetic…

This edition of What We're Reading is guest edited by Mather A Khan, a Postdoc Fellow in the Mendoza Lab at Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, USA. He is very much concerned about hunger, poverty, and global food security. His research is always been motivated by these factors. "Plant…

Here is a summary of new research published in The Plant Cell, written by Martin Vorel and published on the Michigan State University website. Sometimes, when a science experiment doesn’t work out, unexpected opportunities open up. That’s what Yang Yang and the Benning lab have found…

Plant Direct Editor-in-Chief Ivan Baxter wants your input on new ideas for Plant Direct. This is your opportunity to help shape the editorial policies of the newest plant science journal. Read more and share your thoughts! Is Ivan on the right track? Why or why not? What other ideas would help to make…

This week's What We're Reading is guest edited by Gaby Auge, a Senior Research Associate at Fundación Instituto Leloir, IIBBA-CONICET (www.leloir.org.ar), in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Gaby's research interests focus on how environmental changes shape plant responses (plasticity), and the ecological…