Shade avoidance responses in Chinese white poplar rely on shared and unique roles of phytochrome-interacting factors
Plant Science Research WeeklyShade avoidance syndrome (SAS) is a set of adaptive growth responses to low red to far-red light ratios. SAS includes petiole and internode lengthening and upward bending of leaves (hyponasty). In Arabidopsis, PHYTOCHROME B (PHYB) and PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTORS (PIFs) are implicated in these responses.…
Glutamate receptors shape plant systemic wound signaling and anti-herbivore defense
Plant Science Research WeeklySystemic immunity, where local plant interactions with microbes or insects trigger enhanced resistance in distant organs, has parallels to the nervous system in animals. In plants, GLUTAMATE RECEPTOR-LIKE (GLR) genes have a pivotal role in long-distance wound signal transmission and the initiation of…
NAPstars: the new stars of the redox imaging toolbox!
Plant Science Research WeeklyRedox reactions are an integral part of cellular metabolism and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate or NADP is an essential component due to its capacity to be oxidized or reduced. To get a better understanding of cellular redox homeostasis, precise quantification and visualization of NADP redox…
Visualizing plant intracellular inorganic orthophosphate distribution
Plant Science Research WeeklyPhosphorus is the second most essential macronutrient in terms of limiting plant growth, acquired in the form of orthophosphate (Pi) by plant roots. The intricate processes of sensing, uptake, transport, storage, utilization, and cellular compartmentalization of Pi are finely orchestrated by a complex…
SIMPEL tool to elucidate dynamics of complex metabolism
Plant Science Research WeeklyCellular metabolism involves flux through metabolic routes, which can be measured using stable isotope (13C,15N) tracers. High-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and transient isotope labeling studies offer an opportunity to get an in-depth understanding of metabolism in specific contexts. In this new…
Review: SynBio takes on roots and the rhizosphere
Plant Science Research WeeklyThis is an excellent introduction to how synthetic biology can be used to program plants for climate resilience by engineering them to respond predictably and in ways beyond those that evolution has explored, through the use of controllable synthetic gene circuits. Ragland et al. describe how precise…
Review: Long noncoding RNAs and the art of being influential without protein
Plant Science Research WeeklyAdvances in sequencing technologies have led to a tremendous growth in the number of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) being identified in plants, but identifying their function lags behind. Here, Ramirez Gonzales and Blom et al. draw on lessons from studies in mammalian systems and highlight several known…
Review: Development and evolution of the Asteraceae inflorescence
Plant Science Research WeeklyAsteraceae, also known as Compositae or the daisy family, is one of the largest plant families and comprises 10% of all flowering plants. Members of this family are found in habitats worldwide. The unique inflorescence, called a capitulum, is a key innovation of the family and contributes to its success.…
Moss phenotype unaffected by removal of repetitive sequences from genome
Plant Science Research WeeklyGenome complexity in multicellular organisms is often associated with repetitive sequences from Transposable Elements (TEs). TE function, importance for genome integrity, and dispensability have not been completely characterized. In prokaryotes and simple eukaryotes, genome synthesis (production of…