RNA hairpins underlie preferential use of translation start codons
Plant Science Research WeeklyGene expression regulation facilitates environmental adaptation and survival. This recent paper by Xiang et al. focuses on the regulation of translation, in particular on the mechanism underlying the generation of different translation products in different conditions. In addition to the main start codon…
Review: Rapid auxin signaling: Unknowns old and new
Plant Science Research WeeklyYou might think you’ve read enough about auxin, but I recommend you take this opportunity to read one more article, this very interesting and enjoyable review by Fielder and Friml. Auxin has figured prominently in both the classical and molecular eras of plant biology. However, the exciting findings…
From friend to threat: the mutualist-pathogen transition of plant-fungal interaction is determined by a small gene cluster
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe infection modes of microbes in hosts can be reversible and can range from pathogenic to mutualistic, depending on the environmental conditions. The plant-associated fungus Colletotrichum tofieldiae (Ct) has been shown to promote primary root growth and increase shoot fresh weight of Arabidopsis in…
The Plant Cell Focus Issue: Biomolecular Condensates
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe September issue of The Plant Cell includes a focus on biomolecular condensates. Although the term “biomolecular condensates” is relatively new, it actually reflects a convergence and synthesis of several distinct threads of research. Biomolecular condensates span from “classic” membraneless…
Focus Issue: Biomolecular Condensates
Plant Science Research WeeklyAlthough The Plant Cell Focus Issue on Biomolecular Condensates officially comes out in September, due to the idiosyncrasies of publishing many of the articles are already available online, and I’m highlighting them now because this topic is also the focus of a plenary session at the Plant Biology…
Comparison of red raspberry and wild strawberry fruits reveals mechanisms of fruit type specification
Plant Science Research WeeklyHere’s a sweet story of gene expression and fruit form, starting with the simple question of “why do closely related strawberry and raspberry fruits look so different?” In strawberry, the ovaries become dry achenes where in raspberies they become juicy druplets; in strawberry the stem tip (receptacle)…
An RNA world (Profile of David Baulcombe)
Community, Plant Science Research WeeklyAnnual Reviews editions typically start with a brief autobiographical essay by a noted scientist. The 2023 edition of Annual Reviews in Plant Biology includes a profile of David Baulcombe, the well-known scientist whose work was foundational in revealing the roles of small RNAs in gene regulation and…
Review: Open questions in plant RNA biology
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe May 2023 issue of The Plant Cell has a focus on RNA biology, and some of the articles for this issue are online now. I particularly enjoyed this multi-author perspective review by Manavella et al., in which 12 RNA biology groups from across the globe share the questions that they find most compelling…
Nitrogen-dependent binding of the transcription factor PBF1 contributes to the balance of protein and carbohydrate storage in maize endosperm (Plant Cell)
Plant Science Research WeeklyThe majority of maize endosperm is made of starch (70%) and proteins (10%) and their biosynthesis is a complex process which involves many enzymes. N-containing compounds, such as enzymes, amino acids, and nucleotides are crucial for C metabolism. Thus, when N levels are altered, the storage of proteins…