Featured
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Article
| Open AccessStreptomyces alleviate abiotic stress in plant by producing pteridic acids
Soil microbiota can increase crop resilience to abiotic stressors. Here the authors show that Streptomyces produce bioactive spiroketal polyketides to enhance plant growth under drought and salt stress.
- Zhijie Yang
- , Yijun Qiao
- & Ling Ding
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Article
| Open AccessSingle amino acid change alters specificity of the multi-allelic wheat stem rust resistance locus SR9
Among all wheat rust resistance genes, SR9 has the largest number of alleles. Here, the authors use gene cloning, complementation and comparative genetics to resolve the relationship among Sr9 alleles, confirm their allelic identities, and show that a single amino acid change leads to resistance to Ug99.
- Jianping Zhang
- , Jayaveeramuthu Nirmala
- & Evans Lagudah
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Article
| Open AccessConfined-microtubule assembly shapes three-dimensional cell wall structures in xylem vessels
In plant metaxylem, three-dimensional cell wall arches are formed over pit membranes. Here, the authors show that the microtubule-associated proteins, MAP70-5 and MAP70-1, confine microtubules within the pit aperture and direct growth of pit arches in the proper orientation.
- Takema Sasaki
- , Kei Saito
- & Yoshihisa Oda
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Article
| Open AccessCopy number variation of the restorer Rf4 underlies human selection of three-line hybrid rice breeding
Ctyoplasmic male sterility gene WA352 and its fertility restorer Rf4 are widely used for commercial three-line hybrid rice production. Here, the authors investigate the origin, evolution, and variation of Rf4, and show that copy number variation of Rf4 contributes of fertility restoration in a dosage-dependent manner.
- Zhe Zhao
- , Zhi Ding
- & Letian Chen
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| Open AccessBiosynthesis of barley wax β-diketones: a type-III polyketide synthase condensing two fatty acyl units
Barley plants coat their organs with waxy diketones to protect against late-summer droughts. These diketones are formed by two enzymes, one diverting common fatty acids from normal metabolism and the other one linking two fatty acid units together.
- Yulin Sun
- , Alberto Ruiz Orduna
- & Reinhard Jetter
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Article
| Open AccessCoordinated regulation of the entry and exit steps of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis supports the dual lignin pathway in grasses
The study by El-Azaz et al. uncovers how grasses fine-tune tyrosine and phenylalanine production to support their unique dual entry pathway to lignin and phenylpropanoids. The findings help improve sustainable production of aromatic chemicals in crops.
- Jorge El-Azaz
- , Bethany Moore
- & Hiroshi A. Maeda
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Article
| Open AccessSpatial transcriptomics uncover sucrose post-phloem transport during maize kernel development
Maize kernels have long intrigued researchers due to their complex structure. Through microscopic sectioning and spatial transcriptomics, the authors observed the spatial distribution of RNA through electronic RNA in situ hybridization maps and discovered how storage accumulation occurs.
- Yuxin Fu
- , Wenxin Xiao
- & Wenqin Wang
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Article
| Open AccessSingle-cell analysis identifies genes facilitating rhizobium infection in Lotus japonicus
The authors use single-cell analysis to identify genes specifically expressed in plant root cells that respond to infection by nitrogen-fixing rhizobia. They show that one of these genes, SYMRKL1, is required for normal progression of infection.
- Manuel Frank
- , Lavinia Ioana Fechete
- & Stig Uggerhøj Andersen
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Article
| Open AccessEcophysiological adaptations shape distributions of closely related trees along a climatic moisture gradient
Energetic tradeoffs help determine where individual traits confer a competitive advantage. Here, the authors grow ten Eucalyptus species at four common gardens along a rainfall gradient and show that 50 traits mostly vary as predicted, and that species in their native ranges generally outperform others in height growth.
- Duncan D. Smith
- , Mark A. Adams
- & Thomas J. Givnish
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Article
| Open AccessAdjustment of light-responsive NADP dynamics in chloroplasts by stromal pH
NADP+ is the final electron acceptor for linear electron transfer in photosynthesis. Here, the authors show that the NADP pool size is modulated by its interconversion with NAD via ΔpH regulation in response to varying light conditions.
- Yusuke Fukuda
- , Chinami Ishiyama
- & Shin-nosuke Hashida
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Article
| Open AccessEvolution of a ZW sex chromosome system in willows
Investigation of heterogametic transitions in sex chromosomes is challenging but fascinating from an evolutionary perspective. Here, Hu et al. have identified a transition from an XY to a ZW system in the genus Salix (willows) where both the Z and W chromosomes have originated from the ancestral Y.
- Nan Hu
- , Brian J. Sanderson
- & Matthew S. Olson
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Article
| Open AccessPetal size is controlled by the MYB73/TPL/HDA19-miR159-CKX6 module regulating cytokinin catabolism in Rosa hybrida
Expression of MIR159 is attenuated by a MYB73/TPL/HDA19 repression complex during rose petal development. Reduced MIR159 levels lead to accumulation of Cytokinin Oxidase 6, causing cytokinin clearance and subsequent arrest of cell division.
- Weikun Jing
- , Feifei Gong
- & Nan Ma
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Article
| Open AccessTwo subtypes of GTPase-activating proteins coordinate tip growth and cell size regulation in Physcomitrium patens
Using the moss Physcomitrium patens, the authors reveal that PpRopGAPs and PpRenGAP redundantly regulate tip growth by inactivating ROP GTPases and influencing their membrane organization. They display distinct GAP activities and binding capacities to ROPs and oppositely regulate cell width when overexpressed.
- Jingtong Ruan
- , Linyu Lai
- & Peishan Yi
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Article
| Open AccessDeciphering triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis by leveraging transcriptome response to methyl jasmonate elicitation in Saponaria vaccaria
Methyl jasmonate triggers saponin production in Saponaria vaccaria. Using transcriptome data and heterologous expression, the authors identify P450s and glycosyltransferases that modify triterpenoids. They also discover the pathway for UDP-D-fucose biosynthesis.
- Xiaoyue Chen
- , Graham A. Hudson
- & Henrik V. Scheller
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Article
| Open AccessGrowth in fluctuating light buffers plants against photorespiratory perturbations
The detoxification pathway photorespiration has been thought to be photoprotective in dynamic light. The authors report that, instead, growth in dynamic light buffers plants against photorespiratory lesions by reducing photosynthesis and inducing metabolite re-routing.
- Thekla von Bismarck
- , Philipp Wendering
- & Ute Armbruster
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Article
| Open AccessDiscovery of isoflavone phytoalexins in wheat reveals an alternative route to isoflavonoid biosynthesis
Isoflavones are mostly found in the legumes, and little is known about their formation outside of this family. Here, the authors discover an isoflavone synthase gene in wheat, found in a pathogen-induced gene cluster encoding isoflavone biosynthesis.
- Guy Polturak
- , Rajesh Chandra Misra
- & Anne Osbourn
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Article
| Open AccessNanobody-based VSR7 tracing shows clathrin-dependent TGN to Golgi recycling
Nanobody-epitope interaction-based analysis of the Arabidopsis VACUOLAR SORTING RECEPTOR7 (VSR7) suggests immobilization-based ligand transport to the TGN/EE and ends due to acidity-driven ligand release and clathrin-dependent receptor recycling.
- Xiaoyu Shao
- , Hao Xu
- & Peter Pimpl
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Article
| Open AccessIncreasing atmospheric dryness reduces boreal forest tree growth
How trees respond to increasing atmospheric dryness has important implications for forest growth. Here, the authors use a network of tree-ring records to quantify the multidecadal impact of vapour pressure deficit trends on boreal forests in Canada.
- Ariane Mirabel
- , Martin P. Girardin
- & Peter B. Reich
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| Open AccessLeveraging data from the Genomes-to-Fields Initiative to investigate genotype-by-environment interactions in maize in North America
The Genomes-to-Fields (G2F) initiative has collected large amount of maize phenotype and genotype data. Here, the authors develop an automated workflow for curating the data, matching it with public weather and soil data, and generating environmental covariates for phenotypic data, which pave the way for several GxE investigations.
- Marco Lopez-Cruz
- , Fernando M. Aguate
- & Gustavo de los Campos
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Article
| Open AccessShade-induced RTFL/DVL peptides negatively regulate the shade response by directly interacting with BSKs in Arabidopsis
Shade avoidance responses help plants to compete with neighbors for light. Here, the authors show that low R:FR-induced RTFLs interact with BSK3/6 and reduce the protein levels of PIF4 to prevent exaggerated shade avoidance responses.
- Sha Huang
- , Yu Ma
- & Lin Li
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Article
| Open AccessN-hydroxypipecolic acid triggers systemic acquired resistance through extracellular NAD(P)
Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is a plant immune response triggered by mobile signals generated at the primary infection site. Here the authors show that one such mobile signal, N-hydroxypipecolic acid, can trigger production of eNAD(P) that activates SAR through the LecRK-VI.2 receptor.
- Qi Li
- , Mingxi Zhou
- & Zhonglin Mou
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Article
| Open AccessPH13 improves soybean shade traits and enhances yield for high-density planting at high latitudes
How plant height is adaptive to high latitudes and high density planting is unclear. Here, the authors report a retrotransposon insertion in a WD40 protein encoding gene PH13 affects its interaction with GmCOP1s and increases the abundance of STF1/2, leading to reduced soybean height and increased shade resistance.
- Chao Qin
- , Ying-hui Li
- & Bin Liu
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Article
| Open AccessA mitochondrial pentatricopeptide repeat protein enhances cold tolerance by modulating mitochondrial superoxide in rice
Cold stress hampers rice growth and yield. This paper demonstrates that mitochondrial superoxide plays a key role in cold responses, and identifies a pentatricopeptide repeat protein which modulates mitochondrial superoxide and rice cold tolerance.
- Xiaofeng Zu
- , Lilan Luo
- & Xiaofeng Cao
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Article
| Open AccessHidden prevalence of deletion-inversion bi-alleles in CRISPR-mediated deletions of tandemly arrayed genes in plants
The multiplex CRISPR system is the tool of choice for creating targeted tandemly arrayed genes (TAGs) deletions in plants. Here, the authors show that up to 80% of CRISPR-mediated TAG knockout alleles in Arabidopsis and rice are deletion-inversion bi-alleles, an unwanted products of targeted TAG deletions.
- Jiuer Liu
- , Feng-Zhu Wang
- & Jian-Feng Li
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Article
| Open AccessProlonged hydrogen production by engineered green algae photovoltaic power stations
Cost, scalability, and durability are critical factors determining the application of artificial photosynthesis systems. Here, the authors address these problems by inserting a carbon nanofiber into the chloroplast of green algae to transfer of electrons for photosynthesis and demonstrate H2 production up to 50 days.
- Hyo Jin Gwon
- , Geonwoo Park
- & Hyun S. Ahn
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Article
| Open AccessA transcriptional activator effector of Ustilago maydis regulates hyperplasia in maize during pathogen-induced tumor formation
Ustilago maydis causes tumor on maize seedlings. Here we show that U. maydis secrets the transcriptional activator effector Sts2 to induce leaf developmental regulators which activate the bundle sheath cell division for tumor formation.
- Weiliang Zuo
- , Jasper R. L. Depotter
- & Gunther Doehlemann
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Article
| Open AccessMSH2 stimulates interfering and inhibits non-interfering crossovers in response to genetic polymorphism
Interhomolog polymorphism, which is detected by MSH2-containing heterodimers, may affect crossover outcomes during meiosis. Here, the authors revealed antagonistic effects of MSH2 on interfering and non-interfering crossover pathways in Arabidopsis.
- Julia Dluzewska
- , Wojciech Dziegielewski
- & Piotr A. Ziolkowski
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Article
| Open AccessA silicon transporter gene required for healthy growth of rice on land
Rice actively accumulates silicon as amorphous silica (phytoliths), which protects the plant from various stresses. Here, the authors show that SlET4, a polarly localizes Si transporter, exports Si from leaf cells to the leaf surface and is required for healthy growth of rice on land.
- Namiki Mitani-Ueno
- , Naoki Yamaji
- & Jian Feng Ma
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Article
| Open AccessRobotized indoor phenotyping allows genomic prediction of adaptive traits in the field
Robotized indoor phenotyping allows measuring of plant physiological traits at high throughput, but is often considered as non-relevant for field conditions. Here, the authors show that maize traits measured indoor translate to the field and can be inferred via genomic prediction.
- Jugurta Bouidghaghen
- , Laurence Moreau
- & François Tardieu
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Article
| Open AccessRelationships of stomatal morphology to the environment across plant communities
The relationship between stomatal traits and environmental drivers across plant communities has important implications for ecosystem fluxes. Here, the authors explore community-scale stomatal trait-environment relationships, which are important for predicting future water and carbon cycles.
- Congcong Liu
- , Lawren Sack
- & Guirui Yu
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Article
| Open AccessKinetics of the xanthophyll cycle and its role in photoprotective memory and response
This study explores how the photosynthetic alga Nannochloropsis oceanica, rapidly adapts to changing light conditions, using a short-term “memory" system involving the xanthophyll cycle, which is widespread in photosynthetic organisms.
- Audrey Short
- , Thomas P. Fay
- & Graham R. Fleming
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Article
| Open AccessPaternal DNA methylation is remodeled to maternal levels in rice zygote
Liu et al. show that zygotic remodelling of paternal DNA methylation is matched to maternal levels in hybrids and that parental-specific epigenomes are re-established during embryogenesis, highlighting genetic control of epigenetic inheritance.
- Qian Liu
- , Xuan Ma
- & Dao-Xiu Zhou
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Article
| Open AccessEndocytosis-mediated entry of a caterpillar effector into plants is countered by Jasmonate
The authors find that cotton bollworms secrete effectors into plant to weaken JA signaling via host endocytosis system while JA inhibits endocytosis to restrict effector imports. The defense and counter-defense loop between effector and JA reflects a robust arms race between plant and insect.
- Zi-Wei Yan
- , Fang-Yan Chen
- & Ying-Bo Mao
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Article
| Open AccessGreen leaf volatile sensory calcium transduction in Arabidopsis
Plants sense volatiles emitted by injured neighboring plants and elicit defense responses to external threats. Here, the authors show that Arabidopsis leaves uptake two green leaf volatiles via stomata and trigger cytosolic Ca2+ defense signaling.
- Yuri Aratani
- , Takuya Uemura
- & Masatsugu Toyota
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Article
| Open AccessGlobally distributed Myxococcota with photosynthesis gene clusters illuminate the origin and evolution of a potentially chimeric lifestyle
Photosynthesis is thought to be restricted to a few bacterial and eukaryotic phyla. Here, Li et al. provide evidence of photosynthetic abilities in uncultivated bacteria within the phylum Myxococcota, suggesting that some of these organisms may combine predatory and photosynthetic abilities.
- Liuyang Li
- , Danyue Huang
- & Yinzhao Wang
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Article
| Open AccessCharacterization of the horse chestnut genome reveals the evolution of aescin and aesculin biosynthesis
Horse chestnut (Aesculus chinensis) is a tree species that can produce medicinal compounds such as aescin and aesculin. Here, the authors assemble its genome, identify key genes involved in the biosynthesis of these two group of compounds, and achieve the de novo synthesis of aesculin in E. coli.
- Wei Sun
- , Qinggang Yin
- & Shilin Chen
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Article
| Open AccessDefense against phytopathogens relies on efficient antimicrobial protein secretion mediated by the microtubule-binding protein TGNap1
Defining plant defense machinery against pathogens is significant in cell biology and crop yield. TGNap1, a TGN and microtubule-binding protein, is required for defense and efficient anti-microbial protein secretion, linking secretion and cytoskeleton.
- Deepak D. Bhandari
- , Dae Kwan Ko
- & Federica Brandizzi
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Article
| Open AccessUV-B irradiation-activated E3 ligase GmILPA1 modulates gibberellin catabolism to increase plant height in soybean
Gibberellins (GA) negatively regulate UVB-mediated suppression of plant height in plants. Here, the authors show that GmILPA1-mediated degradation of GmGA2ox-like protein counteract the UV-B-mediated reduction of bioactive GAs contributing to the linkage between the affection of UV-B and GA on plant height of soybean.
- Jiaqi Sun
- , Shiyu Huang
- & Fengning Xiang
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Article
| Open AccessThe pan-genome and local adaptation of Arabidopsis thaliana
Single reference genomes and short-read sequencing data are not enough to harness the full genetic variation of a species. Here, the authors report pan-genome of Arabidopsis thaliana based on chromosomal-level genomes of 32 accessions and identify variations associated with local adaptation.
- Minghui Kang
- , Haolin Wu
- & Jianquan Liu
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Article
| Open AccessA natural mutation in the promoter of Ms-cd1 causes dominant male sterility in Brassica oleracea
A dominant genic male sterility (DGMS) mutant of Brassica oleracea was identified in 1970s and has been widely used for hybrid cabbage breeding, but its genetic basis is unclear. Here, the authors reveal that a 1-bp deletion in the promoter of the gene encoding a PHD-finger motif transcription factor is responsible for DGMS.
- Fengqing Han
- , Kaiwen Yuan
- & Honghao Lv
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Article
| Open AccessEfficient plant genome engineering using a probiotic sourced CRISPR-Cas9 system
In the field of plant genome engineering, new nucleases with improved editing efficiency and alterative PAM requirements are needed. Here, the authors report a probiotic sourced CRISPR-LrCas9 system with similar PAM requirement to Cas12a and show its high efficiencies in various genome editing applications.
- Zhaohui Zhong
- , Guanqing Liu
- & Yong Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessCloning of the wheat leaf rust resistance gene Lr47 introgressed from Aegilops speltoides
Leaf rust is one of the most severe foliar diseases of wheat. Here, the authors report the cloning of Lr47, a broadly effective leaf rust resistance gene introgressed into wheat from Aegilops speltoides, and show it encodes a coiled-coil nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat protein.
- Hongna Li
- , Lei Hua
- & Shisheng Chen
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Article
| Open AccessA global-temporal analysis on Phytophthora sojae resistance-gene efficacy
Rps genes are used to manage the major soybean pathogen Phytophthora sojae, which causes Phytophthora stem and root rot (PRR). Here, the authors show that widely used Rps genes are no longer effective for managing PRR in the United States, Canada and Argentina.
- Austin G. McCoy
- , Richard R. Belanger
- & Martin I. Chilvers
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Article
| Open AccessAlphaFold-Multimer predicts cross-kingdom interactions at the plant-pathogen interface
AlphaFold-Multimer was used to screen of 1,879 small secreted proteins from plant pathogens to be inhibitors of six tomato defense enzymes. Four of these inhibit subtilase P69B, showing the use of AI to predict cross-kingdom protein interactions.
- Felix Homma
- , Jie Huang
- & Renier A. L. van der Hoorn
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Article
| Open AccessEarthworms contribute significantly to global food production
Earthworms contribute to plant growth. Here, Fonte et al. conduct a global meta-analysis and estimate that earthworms contribute to roughly 6.5% of global grain (maize, rice, wheat, barley) production and 2.3% of legume yields, equivalent to over 140 million metric tons annually.
- Steven J. Fonte
- , Marian Hsieh
- & Nathaniel D. Mueller
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Article
| Open AccessA de novo evolved gene contributes to rice grain shape difference between indica and japonica
Genetic bases of grain shape differentiation between the two subspecies of Asian cultivated rice have not been fully elucidated. Here, the authors report GSE9, a de novo gene evolved from a non-coding region of wild rice through acquisition of start codon, contributes to the grain shape difference between the two subspecies.
- Rujia Chen
- , Ning Xiao
- & Zefeng Yang
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Article
| Open AccessSeasonal pigment fluctuation in diploid and polyploid Arabidopsis revealed by machine learning-based phenotyping method PlantServation
Long-term monitoring of plants in field fluctuating environments remains challenging. Here, the authors develop PlantServation, a machine learning-based phenotyping method, and estimate environmental and genotypic effects on the pigment anthocyanin content of diploid and polyploid Arabidopsis.
- Reiko Akiyama
- , Takao Goto
- & Kentaro K. Shimizu
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Article
| Open AccessThe CBL1/9-CIPK1 calcium sensor negatively regulates drought stress by phosphorylating the PYLs ABA receptor
ABA signaling and Ca2+ signaling regulatory networks are crucial for how plants respond to drought stress. Here, the authors reported that the functional module of the CBL1/9-CIPK1-PYLs regulatory network plays a negative role in ABA signaling and its response to drought stress.
- Zhang You
- , Shiyuan Guo
- & Cun Wang
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Article
| Open AccessMechanodetection of neighbor plants elicits adaptive leaf movements through calcium dynamics
Pantazopoulou et al. discovered that leaves sense neighbors by mutual touching of hairs on their surface, called trichomes. Using fluorescent biosensors, they show that this triggers a calcium wave to activate leaf movement away from competitors
- Chrysoula K. Pantazopoulou
- , Sara Buti
- & Ronald Pierik
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