Chloroplasts can Import Folded Proteins
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellGanesan et al. investigate protein import into chloroplasts The Plant Cell (2018).
By Iniyan Ganesan and Steven Theg
Background: Chloroplasts are the green compartment in plant cells that carry out photosynthesis. Most plant proteins are made in the cytoplasm and many need to cross different…
Programmed Cell Death in the Root Cap
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellHuysmans et al. identify cell death regulatory proteins in root cap cells. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00293
Background: Some plants, such as giant sequoia trees, can grow into the “Largest Living Things on Earth.” Ironically, most of a tree’s biomass is actually not alive but…
PGI1 is a Determinant of Seed Yield
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellBahaji et al. identify an important player determining seed yield in Arabidopsis. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00312
Background: Oilseeds are major sources of calories for human consumption and have a significant agricultural and industrial value. Seed number and weight are the two main components…
Nectary Development in Petunia and Arabidopsis, a Sweet Story!
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellMorel et al. study the nectar-producing organs in flowers and identify major regulators of nectary size https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00425
By Patrice Morel and Michiel Vandenbussche
Background: Nectaries are the organs that produce nectar, a sugary substance that motivates pollinators such as…
Proteins that Function in Lipid Droplets
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellKretzschmar et al. study the proteome of lipid droplets and identify a protein that functions in protein degradation during germination https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00276
Background: Lipid droplets (LDs) are structures inside cells that store oil or fat, for example, in oil seeds. They were once…
Gatekeepers of Storage Lipids in Seeds: The Switch-Off Mechanism
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellDeruyffelaere et al. investigate lipid mobilization during seed germination. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00275
By Sabine D’ANDREA and Corine ENARD
Background: In cells, storage lipids are compartmentalized in specialized organelles called lipid droplets (LDs). The structure…
BBX28 Negatively Regulates Photomorphogenesis
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellLin et al. show that B-BOX DOMAIN PROTEIN28 plays a role in regulating plant development in response to light signals. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00226.
By Dongqing Xu and Xing Wang Deng
Background: Sunlight is one of the key environmental cues influencing plant growth and development.…
Uncovering the Steps Before: Sulfate Induces ABA Biosynthesis and Stomatal Closure
The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In BriefPlant stomatal aperture regulation via guard cells is an example of how plants dynamically process environmental signals to induce a physiological response. The drought stress hormone abscisic acid (ABA) is a well-characterized signal that induces stomatal closure, preventing water loss. ABA acts via…
A Partnership for ABA Responses
The Plant Cell: In BriefThe phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates a variety of processes in plants including seed dormancy, seedling growth, and response to environmental stresses. A fascinating study by Ni et al. (2018) shows that ABA responses in rice are regulated by an interaction between the DMI3 kinase, which activates…