![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/TPC-Nutshell_Image-Yan-et-al-17.00363-180x180.jpg)
Anthers Crave Copper
Yan et al. searched for proteins that regulate the delivery of the micronutrient copper to flowers to ensure successful reproduction https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00363
By Jiapei Yan, Ju-Chen Chia, and Olena Vatamaniuk
Background: Global food security and the demand for high-yielding grain crops…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/17.0033Feature-Image-180x180.jpg)
Transcriptional Switching Makes New Messages
Fukudome et al. explore the significance of Pol II C-terminal phosphorylation https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00331
By Akihito Fukudome and Hisashi Koiwa
Background: In animals and plants, gene expression begins with an enzyme called RNA polymerase II (Pol II), which produces ribonucleic acid (RNA)…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Dolan2017_TPCnutshell_figure-180x180.jpeg)
Multiple Mediator Subunits Impact Metabolism
Dolan et al. examine how a complex that regulates gene expression alters the production of phenylpropanoids https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00282
By Whitney Dolan and Clint Chapple
Background: Plants produce a vast array of compounds known as phenylpropanoids from the amino acid phenylalanine.…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/17.00258-NutshellFigure-180x180.png)
Protection Against Reactive Carbonyl Species
Schmitz et al. investigate the physiological significance of the glyoxylase system in Arabidopsis https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00258
By Jessica Schmitz and Veronica G. Maurino
BACKGROUND: In every living cell, side reactions of enzymes and spontaneous reactions of metabolites inevitably…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/tpc.17.00694NutshellFigure-1-180x180.jpg)
OnGuard2 Computational Platform Tracks Guard Cell Processes
Wang et al. discover unexpected connections between humidity and ion transport using a model that bridges guard cell-to-leaf scales https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00694
By Maria Papanatsiou
Background: Plants rely on stomata on the leaf epidermis for their survival. Stomata are small pores formed…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/17.00645NutshellFigure-180x180.png)
How Signals in Plant Leaves Influence Flowering
Brambilla et al. describe antagonistic signals in rice leaves that control flowering https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00645
By Vittoria Brambilla
Background: A plant’s lifecycle is marked by a major switch occurring when the plant stops producing leaves and starts to make flowers. This switch is…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/17.00612NutshellFig-180x180.png)
How Plants Clear Toxic Proteins
Gil et al. explore ZTL-mediated protein quality control https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00612
By Kyung-Eun Gil
Background: As sessile organisms, plants have evolved various mechanisms to adapt to environmental changes. Under stressful conditions such as high temperatures, proteins are misfolded…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/17.00180NutshellFig3-180x180.png)
Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance in Tomato
Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance in Tomato
Zhu et al. examine how a plant receptor protein confers broad-spectrum resistance to various tospovirus pathogens https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00180
By Min Zhu, Savithramma P. Dinesh-Kumar, and Xiaorong Tao
Background: Highly evolved microbes cause…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/MysoreNutshell-FeatureImage-180x180.jpg)
How Plants Keep Troublemakers Out and Water In
Kaundal et al. examine how a protein keeps plants safe from invading pathogens and dehydration http://www.plantcell.org/content/29/9/2233
By Amita Kaundal, Vemanna S. Ramu, Kirankumar S. Mysore
Background: To cause disease in plants, bacteria must enter plant tissue and multiply. Bacteria and…