
Barley RIPb opens the gates for epidermal fungal penetration
Blog, Plant Physiology, Plant Physiology: News and Views, ResearchElisa Dell’Aglio
Institut National des Sciences Appliquées de Lyon
Lyon,
France
[email protected]
The ascomycete Blumeria graminis f. sp. hordei (Bgh) is a powdery mildew causal agent, specifically adapted to barley (Hordeum vulgare), wheat (Triticum aestivum, Triticum turgidum)…

Coleorhiza‐enforced seed dormancy: a novel mechanism to control germination in grasses (New Phytol.)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe germination process is completed when the radicle emerges from the seed. In eudicots, radicle growth is mechanically limited by the micropylar endosperm. As dormancy is broken and imbibition occurs, this structure is weakened so that radicle can pierce it. In grasses, the radicle is not surrounded…

Let’s stick together – a pectin biosynthetic mutant reveals the interconnectedness of plant cell walls
Blog, Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In BriefThe plant cell wall is vital for plant survival—it mediates defence against pathogens, provides structural stability and controls growth to produce final plant form. Plant cell walls are composite structures formed mainly from cellulose, hemicelluloses, and pectins, and the interactions of these components…

Cell-cell adhesion in plant grafting is facilitated by b-1,4-glucanases (Science) ($)
Plant Science Research WeeklyPlant grafting has been used in crop improvement for centuries and more recently to study systemic and long-distance signaling in the plant vascular system. In order to better understand graft compatibility and its mechanism, Notaguchi et al. used Nicotiana to study interfamily graft combinations. Interfamily…

Slow development restores the fertility of photoperiod-sensitive male-sterile plant lines (Plant Physiol.)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThere are many well-known advantages to hybrid seeds. However, one obstacle is the tendency of some plants to self-pollinate. The development of genetically male-sterile lines greatly facilitates hybrid seed production, as the maternal male-sterile plant cannot self-fertilize and depends on donor pollen…

Spatial profiling of immune competence in plant roots (bioRxiv)
Plant Science Research WeeklyPlant roots should prevent immune activation by innocuous soil microbiota, as constitutive immune activation is harmful to plant growth. Previous studies have indicated variable immune competence of different root cell types and developmental zones, but this is currently poorly understood with the fine…

A new order through disorder: intrinsically disordered proteins reshape the cytoskeleton under drought stress
Blog, Plant Physiology, Plant Physiology: News and Views, ResearchMany proteins have a clearly defined structure-function relationship – specific three-dimensional folds can be linked to specific protein functions. We do however know that many proteins – referred to as intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) – lack rigid three-dimensional organisation. In recent…

Role of Cell Wall Invertase in Ovule Development
Plant Physiology, Plant Physiology: On The InsideApart from its well-known function in Suc unloading, cell wall invertase (CWIN), an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of Suc into Fru and Glc, also plays a role in sugar signaling and plant development. As an example of CWIN playing a role in plant development, Liao et al. (10.1104/pp.20.00400)…

FRA1 Kinesin Prevents Cell Wall Deposition from Going Off the Rails
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In BriefCellulose, hemicellulose, and pectin are the brick and mortar of the plant kingdom, and how they are laid has substantial impacts on plant morphology. Plant cell shape is dictated by the interplay between turgor pressure and heterogeneity in cell wall composition, whereby localized cell wall loosening…
