Heterochromatin keeps RNA-directed DNA methylation in place?
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellFu et al. demonstrate a requirement for the heterochromatin factors CMT and DDM1 in RNA-directed DNA methylation in maize. Plant Cell https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00053
By Fang-fang Fu and Jonathan I. Gent
Background: DNA methylation is a chemical modification of DNA consisting of addition…
A New Nuclear Transporter
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellYamada and Goshisma identify a nuclear transporter that controls the position of the nucleus during cell growth in plants https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00038.
Background: Transportation of cellular components to appropriate locations for their activity is a critical aspect of cell function. Microtubule…
Defense or Disease: It’s a Matter of Timing
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellMine et al. use RNA-seq to study RPS2-mediated bacterial resistance https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00970
By Akira Mine, Carolin Seyfferth and Kenichi Tsuda
Background: To fight against pathogens, plants can detect enemies and transduce the signal to reprogram gene expression in the cell as a defense…
Phytochrome B has Two Weapons to Disable its Interacting Proteins
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellPark et al. demonstrate that phytochrome B preferentially inhibits its interacting transcription factors via one of two mechanisms depending on light conditions. The Plant Cell (2018). https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00913.
By Eunae Park
Background: Phytochrome B (phyB) is a plant photoreceptor…
Insights Into How Genes are Turned On and Off in Plants
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellCarter et al. explore aspects of chromatin remodeling related to gene expression in Arabidopsis. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00867
By Benjamin Carter and Joe Ogas
Background: Plant tissues are composed of cells that all contain the same genomic information and yet have very different properties.…
Newly Discovered Abscisic Acid Transporter in Rice
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellYao et al. found that OsPM1 can move the plant hormone abscisic acid into rice cells. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00770.
By Lingya Yao and Xiaochun Ge
Background: Abscisic acid (ABA) is an important plant hormone that regulates plant seed dormancy and stress responses, especially drought responses.…
Understanding ER Stress in Maize
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellBackground: Maize is one of the world’s leading crops that is used for food, feed, and fuel. Maize is vulnerable to adverse environmental conditions that lead to production losses. Such conditions can upset delicate cellular processes in maize cells such as protein folding in the endoplasmic reticulum…
Is Genetic Evolution Predictable?
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellYang et al. investigate the evolution of flowering time in the young species Capsella rubella. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00124
Background: Flowering time is an important adaptive life-history trait in plants. Capsella rubella, a close relative of Arabidopsis thaliana and—in evolutionary time—a…
ARGONAUTE1: To Shed a Strand or Not?
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellClavel et al. investigate recognition and binding of AGO1 by viral P0 protein https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00111.
By Marion Clavel
Background: In plants, small RNAs (sRNAs) are widely used to regulate gene expression of both host genes and foreign nucleic acid, like viruses. sRNAs function…