Recent Posts

The HOS15-HDA9 complex associates with HYL1 to modulate miRNA expression in response to ABA signalling

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play a crucial role in plant cell homeostasis, particularly in response to environmental biotic and abiotic stresses. The transcription of miRNAs is mediated by RNA Polymerase II which generates the primary miRNA transcripts (pri-miRNAs). HYPONASTIC LEAVES 1 (HYL1) is a miRNA biogenesis…

An RNA world (Profile of David Baulcombe)

Annual 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…

Nurse cell­–derived small RNAs define paternal epigenetic inheritance in Arabidopsis (Science)

New mechanisms for the production and function of small RNAs continue to be discovered. Previous studies have shown a role for small RNAs in methylation reprogramming. Recently, Long et al. found that the epigenetic reprogramming that takes place in the male reproductive tissues also involves mobile…

Review. Under siege: virus control in plant meristems and progeny (Plant Cell)

Perhaps, when our lives have been turned upside down by a human pathogenic virus, it’s easy to overlook the fact that plants too suffer from viral infections; but of course, they do. (And of course, famously, viruses were first discovered in plants). Although it is difficult to cure a plant of a virus…