Articles in 2021

This study establishes the effect of ENSO cycles modulated by SAM in South America on a native conifer over multiple centuries and the reproductive cycle of individual plants on a regional scale in line with climate events.

Glutaredoxins are small redox proteins that use glutathione as a cofactor. In maize, a glutaredoxin named MSCA1 controls the activity of transcription factor FASCIATED EAR4 through dimerization, regulating inflorescence meristem development.

Mixing maternal and paternal genomes is the base of plant sexual reproduction, but some so-called ‘haploid inducer lines’ lead to the formation of seeds bearing well-developed embryos with solely the maternal genome. A recent study adds a new piece to the puzzle of this enigmatic in planta haploid embryo induction process.

This study revealed a novel regulator, ZmPLD3, for maternal haploid induction in maize. Loss-of-function mutations of ZmPLD3 showed an induction rate similar to that of mtl/zmpla1/nld and induced haploids in a synergistic manner with the mtl mutations.

The establishment of cell polarity is essential for plant growth and development. The process involves biochemical cues and mechanical changes. Here the authors review the establishment of polarity in plant cells, with a particular focus on the molecular players connecting mechanical information and cell morphogenesis.

By sieving through the plant genomic literature for the last 20 years, a study uncovered a disconnection between the research locales and plants’ native ranges. Colonialism, both past and present, might be behind this disparity.

Auxin is a master hormone that affects most aspects of plant development. Its inactivation is a key process in regulating auxin levels, but it is only now that we are starting to properly understand the steps involved.

Analyses of plant genomes sequenced in the past 20 years, the species taxonomic distribution and national participation reveal that genome quality has increased but substantial taxonomic gaps exist, and that the field has been dominated by the Global North.

Hybrid diploid breeding is a radical innovation that promises to revolutionize breeding practices in potato, the world’s third-largest food crop. Yet concerted efforts are needed to ensure this innovation can be harnessed for food security.

Hormone-induced plant regeneration involves acquisition of pluripotency based on auxin–cytokinin crosstalk. A recent study demonstrates the spatial and functional organization of callus cells and the role of pluripotent middle-layer cells in de novo tissue regeneration.

Peer review has many aspects where bias is inevitable. Acknowledging this is the first step to managing it.

Single-cell profiling of callus from hypocotyl explants shows the heterogeneity of this tissue and identifies gene networks needed for plant regeneration, in particular the essential roles of WOX5 and WOX7 in this biological process.

The Clp protease (ClpP) in plastids is essential for chloroplast development and plant cell survival. The composition and architecture of the chloroplast ClpP complex in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is now revealed by cryo-electron microscopy.

This study reports a donor DNA-free approach for gene knock-up based on CRISPR. It induced designed promoter swap or replacement for target genes by triggering genomic inversion or duplication so as to elevate gene expression and generate new traits.

What is the effect of hormones on cell shape and growth? In this study, morphometric, genetic and computer modelling analyses are combined to show how brassinosteroids control overall root meristem geometry and development.

Cytokinin influences various aspects of plant growth and development, including vascular development. The TMO5/LHW complex regulates a precise balance of cytokinin in xylem and procambium, therefore organizing root vascular patterning in Arabidopsis.

The levels of plant hormones are broadly determined by their relative rates of biosynthesis and degradation, but a degradation pathway for strigolactones has been missing. Now an enzyme has been discovered that can break down strigolactones and thereby influence plant development.