Recent Posts

Pectate lyases prune pectin to potentiate stomatal dynamics

Chen et al. uncover the effects of a pectate lyase-like gene on cell wall mechanics and cell pressurization in guard cells. The Plant Cell (2021) https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koab161  By Yintong Chen and Charles T. Anderson Department of Biology, The Pennsylvania State University, University…

EAR domain-containing transcription factors attract PRC2 repression machinery to chromatin

Baile et al. discover how EAR domain-containing transcription factors recruit the polycomb group complex PRC2 to mediate gene repression in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell (2021) https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koab139  By Fernando Baile and Myriam Calonje Institute of Plant Biochemistry and Photosynthesis…

Regulation of protein secretion in tapetal cells

Goodman et al. uncover the roles of ESCRT (Endosomal Sorting Complex Required for Transport) proteins in the exocytosis of plasma membrane and secreted proteins in tapetal cells during pollen development. The Plant Cell (2021) https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koab132  By Marisa Otegui Background:…

LARP6C reveals its double face during plant fertilization

Billey et al. uncover the roles of LARP6C as a translational repressor in dormant pollen and an activator when the pollen “awakens”. The Plant Cell (2021) https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koab131  By Elodie Billey1,2,3, Said Hafidh4, Cécile Bousquet-Antonelli1,2 1 CNRS LGDP-UMR5096, 58 Av.…

NF-YCs mediate plant growth during the dark-to-light transition

Zhang et al. uncover the roles of NF-YC transcription factors in repressing brassinosteroid biosynthesis and signaling to mediate photomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis. Background: Seedlings, which germinate in the soil, generally undergo rapid hypocotyl elongation to seek light for growth and development.…

Repeat yourself: A new way to self-express

Reinar et al. uncover the effects of allelic variation in short tandem repeats across natural populations of Arabidopsis thaliana on gene expression.  By Kjetill Jakobsen1, Melinka Butenko2, and William Reinar1 1Centre for Ecological and Evolutionary Synthesis (CEES), University of Oslo, Department…

Psst! Pass it on: How the message to make a new root alters gene expression

Gala et al. perform single cell RNA sequencing to reveal molecular details about lateral root initiation.  By Amy Lanctot, Hardik Gala, Jennifer Nemhauser University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195 Background: Roots anchor the plant in place and allow it take up needed water and nutrients.…

Membrane Insertion of Plastidic β-barrel Proteins

Gross et al. describe how plastidic β-barrel proteins are inserted into the outer envelopes of plastids. The Plant Cell (2021) https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koab052 By Nicole Spies, Lucia Gross, and Enrico Schleiff Background: Due to their endosymbiotic origin, chloroplasts possess both an outer…

Molecular Mechanism for the CO-FT Module

Lv et al. investigate the molecular basis for the specific regulation of FT by CONSTANS. The Plant Cell (2021) https://doi.org/10.1093/plcell/koab016  By Xinchen Lv and Jiamu Du  Background: During the floral transition, plants perceive various environmental and endogenous signals to trigger…