Recent Posts

Follow that Protein: SNAP-tagging Permits High-resolution Protein Localization

Protein analysis relies heavily on the production of ‘tagged’ proteins, i.e. recombinant proteins that contain both a functional peptide sequence and a peptide or chemical label (the ‘tag’). Common tags include fluorescent proteins (FPs), which make tagged proteins easier to detect, as well as…

Sometimes “jammed paper” can be a good thing: functional interactions between pectins and cellulose in the plant cell wall

Du et al. explore how pectins interact with cellulose in the plant cell wall. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.20.00252 By Juan Du1 and Charles T. Anderson2,3 1Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu…

Useless no more: infertile spikelets contribute to grain yield in a major food crop and its relatives

AuBuchon-Elder and Coneva et al. reveal an important function for apparently non-functional floral structures. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.20.004242 By Taylor AuBuchon-Elder1,*, Viktoriya Coneva1,2*, Doug K. Allen1,3†, and Elizabeth A. Kellogg1† 1Donald Danforth Plant Science…

Recognizing Plant Cell authors: Jing Liu

Jing Liu, first author of SPIKE1 Activates the GTPase ROP6 to Guide the Polarized Growth of Infection Threads in Lotus japonicus Current Position: Ph.D. candidate, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences/Institute of Plant Physiology and Ecology Education: Ph.D. in Genetics, CAS Center…

Recognizing Plant Cell authors: Andan Zhu

Andan Zhu, co-first author of Temporal regulation of metabolome and proteome in photosynthetic and photorespiratory pathways contributes to maize heterosis Current Position: Professor, Germplasm Bank of Wild Species, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences Education: Ph. D. from…

Recognizing Plant Cell authors: Zhi Li

Zhi Li, co-first author of Temporal regulation of metabolome and proteome in photosynthetic and photorespiratory pathways contributes to maize heterosis Current Position: Postdoc in Dr. Z. Jeffrey Chen’s lab at The University of Texas at Austin Education: Ph.D. from China Agricultural University Non-scientific…

The sweet smell of sucrose transport during rose petal abscission

Liang et al. demonstrate that auxin modulates sucrose transport to repress petal abscission in rose. The Plant Cell (2020).  https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00695 By Yue Liang, Chuyan Jiang, Yang Liu, Yuerong Gao, Jingyun Lu, Palinuer Aiwail, Zhangjun Fei, Cai-Zhong Jiang, Bo Hong, Chao Ma and Junping…

Tracking the Courier: In Planta Imaging of NADH/NAD+ Ratios with a Genetically Encoded Biosensor

The movement of electrons between molecules and organelles via redox reactions is a cornerstone of cellular metabolism. Electron carriers such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) and its phosphorylated form NADP mediate reduction or oxidation reactions via their own conversion between reduced…

Together at last: The UPR and HSR

Li et al. identify a link between the unfolded protein response and the heat shock response. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.20.00260 By Zhaoxia Li and Stephen Howell Plant Sciences Institute, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa USA   Background: In the face of climate change, heat…