Recent Posts

Translation has something to say in nitrogen-fixing symbiosis

Traubenik et al. highlight the importance of translational control and mRNA decay for successful establishment of the nitrogen-fixing symbiosis. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00647 By Soledad Traubenik, Mauricio Reynoso, Flavio Blanco, and María Eugenia Zanetti Background: Legume plants…

PIF8: a new player in far-red light signaling

Oh et al. identify a far-red light-specific role for PIF8. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00515 By Jeonghwa Oh, KAIST Background: When plants are in the dark, their stems get longer to search for light. When reaching the light, plant photoreceptors called phytochromes perceive light…

An Improved Recombineering Toolset for Plants

Brumos and Zhao et al. developed an improved set of genetic tools to make precise sequence modifications in large DNA fragments and used them to tag hundreds of plant genes, including those involved in auxin production. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00431 By Javier Brumos, Anna Stepanova,…

Proteases Help Cyanobacteria Survive Nutrient Starvation

Krynická et al. uncover the critical role of the FtsH1/3 protease complex in the acclimation of a model cyanobacterium to nutrient stress. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00411 By Vendula Krynická1,2 and Philip J. Jackson3,4  1Centre Algatech, Institute of Microbiology of the Czech…

Arabidopsis OR Represses the Greening of Cotyledons while It Is in the Nucleus

Sun et al. showed that OR interacts with TCP14 in the nucleus of dark-germinated seedlings and reduces chlorophyll biosynthesis, thylakoid membrane development and expression of EARLY LIGHT-INDUCIBLE PROTEINS, and that subsequent illumination relieves this repression. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.…

The first structure of plant actin filaments

Ren et al. examine the structure of maize pollen actin. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00973 Zhanhong Ren (Ph.D. candidate), Key Laboratory of Cell Proliferation and Regulation Biology of Ministry of Education, Center for Biological Science and Technology, College of Life Sciences, Beijing…

Acylsugar Metabolic Gene Network

By Sabyasachi Mandal Department of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, USA  Background: Acylsugars are specialized metabolites secreted through the trichomes (plant hairs) of many plants in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). These compounds provide protection against herbivores…

Transcriptome Dynamics and Gene Activities during Embryo and Grain Development in Wheat

Xiang et al. elucidate transcriptome dynamics and gene activities during embryogenesis and grain development in modern wheat and its progenitors. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00397. By Daoquan Xiang, Teagen D. Quilichini, Peng Gao, and Raju Datla Aquatic and Crop Resource Development,…

Attractive flower smell turned into defense barrier

Boachon et al. explore metabolic processes associated with floral defense. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.19.00320 By Benoît Boachon, University of Lyon, UJM-Saint-Etienne, CNRS, BVpam FRE 3727, Saint-Etienne, France. Danièle Werck-Reichhart, Institute of Plant Molecular Biology of…