Moonlighting activities and control of meristem maintenance in maize ($) (Nature Plants)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe phosphorylated disaccharide trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P) is a regulator of meristem fate. Mutations in enzymes related to T6P metabolism (such as TPS, the synthase, or the phosphatase trehalose 6-phosphate phosphatase TPP, i.e., RAMOSA3 that dephosphorylates T6P to trehalose), are linked to defects…
Review: Tackling plant phosphate starvation by the roots (Devel. Cell)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe root is remarkably responsive to nutrient status of both the local environment and the whole plant. These external and internal factors affect the expression of transporters, interactions with mycorrhizal symbionts and also the overall pattern of growth and development of the root system. In this…
High-temporal-resolution transcriptome landscape of early maize seed development (Plant Cell)
Plant Science Research WeeklySeeds determine the yield and quality of the plants. In maize, seed development initiates from a double fertilization event where one pollen sperm fuses with the egg and the other with the central cell of female gametophyte to produce the progenitors of embryo and endosperm, respectively. The embryo…
Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals developmental trajectories of Arabidopsis root cells
Plant Science Research WeeklyNew advances in sequencing technologies have made possible the understanding of the dynamics of developmental processes in an unprecedented manner. In a recent study, Denyer, Ma, et al. profiled nearly 5,000 cells from Arabidopsis roots using single-cell RNA sequencing technology. Gene expression profiles…
Control of proliferation in the haploid meristem by CLE peptide signaling in Marchantia polymorpha (PLOS Genetics)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe peptide/hormones CLE (CLAVATA3/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION-related) and their receptors are a fascinating cell signal system that regulates meristems activity in angiosperms and is crucial for the establishment of 3D forms. How this system works in bryophytes is very relevant to understand its evolution…
How Does Light Cause Arabidopsis Cotyledons to Open?
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellDong et al. investigate cotyledon-specific light-regulated gene expression in Arabidopsis. The Plant Cell (2019). https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.18.00803
By J. Dong, N. Sun, J. Yang, Z. Deng, J. Lan, G. Qin, H. He, X. W. Deng, V. F. Irish, H. Chen, and N. Wei
Background: When germinating in darkness…
The lateral root cap acts as an auxin sink that controls meristem size (Curr Biol)
Plant Science Research WeeklyDuring root growth, cellular activities need to be coordinated across tissues. Mambro et al. have identified molecular mechanisms involved in root apical meristem maintenance by auxin homeostasis regulation in lateral root cap (LRC) cells. The cytokinin response regulator ARR1 regulates expression of…
Review: Brassinosteroid signaling in plant development and adaptation to stress ($) (Development)
Plant Science Research WeeklyIn this new review, Riverola et al. highlight the significance of the phytohormone brassinosteroid in plant development and responses to stress. The authors discuss BRL1, LRR-RLK receptor mediated signaling mechanism that is crucial for root development and stress response. This signaling mechanism varies…
Constitutive signaling activity of a receptor-associated protein links fertilization with embryonic patterning in Arabidopsis thaliana ($) (PNAS)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe apical and basal identity of a growing embryo is determined by an asymmetrical division of the zygote in flowering plants. The MAPKK kinase YODA (YDA) is important for zygotic elongation and embryonic polarity. During embryo development, YDA is activated by the membrane associated pseudo-kinase SHORT…