Extracellular ATP acts on jasmonate signaling to reinforce plant defense
Blog, Plant Science Research Weekly, Research, Research BlogPlant Physiol. Extracellular ATP induces plant defense responses but the mechanisms involved are largely unknown. The paper by Tripathi et al. shows how extracellular ATP serves as a danger signal in plant defense and its interaction with the signalling pathways of other stress hormones, e.g. jasmonate…
MicroRNAs from the parasitic plant Cuscuta campestris target host messenger RNAs
Blog, Plant Science Research Weekly, Research, Research BlogNature. Cuscuta sp. commonly known as dodder, is an obligate parasitic plant that colonizes a broad range of host plants and obtain water and nutrients by specialized feeding structure called haustorium. Literature suggests that this specialized structure is involved in bidirectional movement of viruses,…
Protection Against Reactive Carbonyl Species
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellSchmitz et al. investigate the physiological significance of the glyoxylase system in Arabidopsis https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00258
By Jessica Schmitz and Veronica G. Maurino
BACKGROUND: In every living cell, side reactions of enzymes and spontaneous reactions of metabolites inevitably…
Review: On the selectivity, specificity and signaling potential of long-distance movement of messenger RNA
Blog, Plant Science Research Weekly, Research, Research BlogRegulation of transcription occurs at the cell-type specific level, but transcribed messenger RNA is mobile and can move between tissues through plant vasculature, serving as a long distance messenger. Many mRNA molecules have been identified in the phloem sap, suggesting that mRNA transport goes through…
Role of C-terminal modules in phytochrome signaling
Blog, Plant Science Research Weekly, Research, Research BlogPhytochromes are photoreceptors found in many organisms including bacteria, fungi and plants. Plant phytochromes regulate many aspects of plant growth and development, including germination, shade avoidance, defense against pests, and senescence. Phytochromes most likely transduce signals through the…
OnGuard2 Computational Platform Tracks Guard Cell Processes
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellWang et al. discover unexpected connections between humidity and ion transport using a model that bridges guard cell-to-leaf scales https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00694
By Maria Papanatsiou
Background: Plants rely on stomata on the leaf epidermis for their survival. Stomata are small pores formed…
How Signals in Plant Leaves Influence Flowering
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellBrambilla et al. describe antagonistic signals in rice leaves that control flowering https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00645
By Vittoria Brambilla
Background: A plant’s lifecycle is marked by a major switch occurring when the plant stops producing leaves and starts to make flowers. This switch is…
Broad-Spectrum Disease Resistance in Tomato
Research, The Plant Cell, The Plant Cell: In a NutshellBroad-Spectrum Disease Resistance in Tomato
Zhu et al. examine how a plant receptor protein confers broad-spectrum resistance to various tospovirus pathogens https://doi.org/10.1105/tpc.17.00180
By Min Zhu, Savithramma P. Dinesh-Kumar, and Xiaorong Tao
Background: Highly evolved microbes cause…
Genome-wide identification of Medicago peptides involved in macronutrient responses and nodulation
Blog, Plant Science Research Weekly, Research, Research BlogPlants are highly plastic and can modulate their growth and development to better respond to abiotic and biotic surroundings. Among the molecules involved in the adaptation to the environment, a crucial role is played by small secreted peptides (SSPs). In their paper, integrating 144 transcriptomic experiments,…