![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/UsadelNutshell-Image4-180x180.jpg)
Tomato Genome Goes Nano
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellSchmidt et al. demonstrate that nanopore technology can be applied to plant genomes https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00521
By Schmidt, M. H.-W., Vogel, A., Denton, A. K., Bolger, A. M., Bolger, M. E., and Usadel, B.
Background: An organism’s genome contains all the necessary information for its…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/EisenachFeatureImage-180x180.jpg)
An Ion Channel Active in Plant Drought Response
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellEisenach et al. discover A new ion channel of the plant vacuole helps plants react to drought https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00452
By Cornelia Eisenach
Background: Stomata are small pores on plant surfaces that facilitate diffusion of CO2, O2 and water vapor between plant and atmosphere. During…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Kalanchoe-180x180.jpg)
Photosynthesis in Desert Plants: It’s About Time
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellBoxall et al. investigate CAM photosynthesis in Kalanchoë fedtschenkoi The Plant Cell (2017). https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00301
Background: During photosynthesis, most plants use the enzyme Rubisco to capture CO2 during the day. Crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants such as prickly pears,…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Persson-Nutshell-figure-180x180.jpg)
Keeping Walls on Track
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellSchneider et al. explore how secondary cell walls are made. The Plant Cell 2017. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00309
Background: Plant cells are surrounded by robust cell walls that function as dynamic extracellular skeletons and protect plants against their environment. The cell walls make up…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/FusariNutshell-Feature-180x180.jpg)
To Grow or to Defend: That is the Question for Plant Central Metabolism
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellFusari et al. perform GWAS to explore primary plant metabolism https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00232
By Corina M. Fusari and Rik Kooke
Background: Primary metabolites such as sugars, organic acids, and amino acids are essential chemical compounds that drive plant growth and development by providing…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/00287Cheng-FeatureImage-180x180.jpg)
How Meiotic Chromosomes Cluster into a “Bouquet”
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellZhang et al. explore the behavior of chromosomes during meiosis. The Plant Cell (2017). https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00287
By Fanfan Zhang
Background: In meiosis, plants, animals, and fungi reduce their chromosome numbers by half to form gametes (sperm and eggs) that can fuse to form a cell…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/WalkerNutshell-feature-1-180x180.jpg)
Space-Time Continuum of Gene Expression in Lateral Root Development
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellWalker et al. explore how the environment shapes root architecture. The Plant Cell 2017. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.16.00961
By Liam Walker
Background: To acquire nutrients and anchor themselves, plant roots spread both vertically and horizontally in soil. Plants typically have a primary root…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Kloth-Nutshell-Figure-180x180.jpg)
A Plant Protein That Foils Aphid Feeding
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellKloth et al. probe aphid feeding behavior. The Plant Cell 2017 doi: 10.1105/tpc.16.00424
By Karen Kloth
Background: Aphids are phloem-feeding insects. They penetrate plants with a piercing-sucking mouth. Once they reach a tube where the plant transports its sugar-rich phloem sap, they can take…
![](https://plantae.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/DenoyesNutshellFeature-180x180.jpg)
Flowering Versus Runnering: A Very Important Decision in Strawberry
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellTenreira et al. find a gene responsible for the differentiation of the stolon in strawberry. The Plant Cell 2017. https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.16.00949
Asexual reproduction produces offspring that are genetically identical to the parents. This process takes many forms in flowering plants, including…