Recent Posts

A module controlling endoreduplication and cell growth in Arabidopsis

Jiang et al. discover a module controlling endoreduplication, a process in which DNA replication occurs in the absence of mitosis. Background: Organ size is coordinately regulated by both cell number and cell size. Endoreduplication is often associated with cell size in plants and animals, but the…

The chloroplast protein biogenesis network at the ribosome during heat acclimation

By Raphael Tröscha, Fabian Riesb, Lisa Désirée Westrichb, Felix Willmundb, a Max Planck Institute of Molecular Plant Physiology, Am Mühlenberg 1, 14476 Potsdam-Golm, Germany; b Molecular Genetics of Eukaryotes, University of Kaiserslautern, Paul-Ehrlich-Str. 23, 67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany Trösch,…

Bypassing reproductive barriers in hybrid seeds

Huc et al. discover a method for bypassing the triploid block via chemically induced epimutagenesis using 5-Azacytidine. Background: Hybridization of plants with different chromosome numbers is often hindered by reproductive barriers established after fertilization. This is because the correct balance…

How does ENB1 contribute to formation of a persistent endosperm in maize?

Wang et al. explore cellulose deposition in maize seeds. Qun Wang and Rentao Song China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China Background: Plant seeds are mainly classified into two types: one with a persistent endosperm as in cereals, and the other with a transient endosperm as in…

Soybean ACBPs Sort out the Salt with Oxylipins

Lung et al. demonstrate that acyl-CoA-binding proteins initiate oxylipin signaling to help soybean adapt to the salty environment. The Plant Cell (2021) https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koab306 By Shiu-Cheung Lung and Mee-Len Chye, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China Background:…

TOR promotes guard cell starch degradation and stomatal opening

Han et al demonstrate that sugar-activated TOR promotes guard cell starch degradation and stomatal opening. Chao Han and Ming-yi Bai The Key Laboratory of Plant Development and Environmental Adaptation Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao, 266237,…

Vernalization response by a cis-element in the VIN3 promoter and the circadian clock

Kyung, Jeon et al. investigated the nature of the molecular mechanism by which winter cold accelerates flowering and discovered that circadian clock regulators are involved. By Jinseul Kyung and Myeongjune Jeon; School of Biological Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Korea Background: Appropriate…

Grow less or Grow more, That is the Question

Longkumer et al. explore how plant growth is regulated during drought. Paul E. Verslues and Toshisangba Longkumer, Institute of Plant and Microbial Biology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, TAIWAN Background: Plants can deliberately slow down their growth in response to even a small decrease in water…

A species-specific partial duplicate gene in Arabidopsis thaliana evolved novel morphological effects

Huang, Chen and colleagues take advantage of a partial duplicated gene to compare the functions of the partial duplicate and its parental copy.  By Yuan Huang, Jiahui Chen, Shengqian Xia and Manyuan Long, Department of Ecology and Evolution, The University of Chicago, Chicago, USA  Background:…