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Heat sensing is not well understood in plants. Here the authors show that high temperature induces the production of nitric oxide conjugate S-nitrosoglutathione in the shoot meristem. A systemic long-distance signalling pathway then includes nitrosylation of transcription factor GT-1, which activates heat-responsive genes such as HsfA2.
This analysis looks at water use efficiency within and across multiple regions with different plant functional types, and finds that water use efficiency values tend to converge for some types despite distinct geographic and climatic zones.
Membrane receptor kinases are involved in many signalling pathways in plants. Here, the authors show that a common mechanism, consisting of a RLCK kinase and a PP2C phosphatase, regulates signalling downstream of receptors, both in immunity and development.
Contrary to expectations that a warmer planet from climate change would be good for cactus species, this analysis of 400 species under three climate scenarios finds that over half may experience a reduction in their suitable climate, challenging perceptions of impacts for this plant family around the world
In tomato, the transcription factor DOF9 regulates inflorescence termination and flower development, which determines fruit yield. DOF9 is connected to the auxin signalling pathway through ARF5.
Homogalacturonans are the most abundant pectin subtype in plant cell walls and also function as signalling molecules. Homogalacturonans thus connect the cell wall and plasma membrane to regulate plant growth and development.
Gene duplication and subsequent paralogue diversification shape phenotypes. This study shows how paralogues controlling stem cell proliferation evolve over short time scales and provides an evo-devo perspective for trait engineering in crop design.
Theory predicts duplicate genes will evolve new functions or be lost from genomes rather than maintain redundant functions. Kwon et al. show that redundant plant genes can be maintained if they actively compensate for perturbation of their partners at the shoot tip, but that this might not be an evolutionarily stable strategy to stave off degenerative mutations.
The idea of adapting plants to produce vaccines is almost as old as the genetic engineering of plants itself. Recent clinical trials suggest that it is an approach whose time may finally have come.
A xylan-rich nanodomain at pit boundaries of xylem vessels maintains distinct wall patterns by anchoring cellulosic nanofibrils at the pit borders. These nanocompartments are produced by the xylan synthase IRREGULAR XYLEM (IRX)10 and its homologues.
The establishment of leaf adaxial–abaxial polarity happens early at the shoot apical meristem. Using quantitative live imaging of auxin and dorsiventral polarity markers, the authors trace the origin of polarity to before primordium emergence, to an overlay of high auxin onto a meristem periphery prepattern.
In plants, impairing transgenerational resetting of juvenility leads to premature flowering in the offspring. This robust reset process is mediated by de novo activation of MIR156/7-family genes at different developmental stages through distinct reprogramming routes.
In potato, the TCP transcription factor BRANCHED1b represses aerial tuber formation in the axils of the leaves. It functions through limiting the number of plasmodesmata, reducing sucrose levels and repressing the tuberigen protein SP6A.
In Arabidopsis, microRNAs control the transition from juvenile to adult states. The study, using genomic, genetic and molecular approaches, investigates how miR156 and miR157 are re-activated at each generation.
Development of flowers typically employs conserved molecular pathways and recurrent sets of homologous genes. A new study shows that a homologue of RADIALIS, a gene well known to control flower symmetry, is recruited to serve a different function.
A method for targeted mutagenesis of mitochondrial genomes is presented. It combines site-specific DNA cleavage with selection for mutations that confer cleavage resistance, and produces genetically stable plants with edited mitochondrial genomes.
In hexaploid persimmon, the RADIALIS-like gene was identified as a key player in the reversion of male flowers to hermaphroditism. Interestingly, it acts independently of the pathways involved in the ancestral transitions away from hermaphroditism.
