Reviews & Analysis

Quantitative methods to measure gene transcription in plants typically use large populations of cells and do not maintain spatial information. We developed a method that enables simultaneous quantification of single RNA molecules and protein abundance per cell in intact plant tissues.

Crystal structure-guided exchange of mobile elements from red algal Rubisco into a related bacterial Rubisco enabled us to identify amino acid substitutions that enhance carbon dioxide (CO₂) fixation. In tobacco plants, the improved Rubisco supported a two-fold increase in photosynthetic rates compared with plants producing wild-type bacterial Rubisco.

Epidermal trichomes function as mechanosensors, but how trichome-less plants perceive mechanical forces remains unclear. Touching epidermal pavement cells with micro-cantilevers, we discovered distinct cytosolic calcium waves upon application and release of small forces. Thus, not only do plants perceive forces independently of trichomes, they may also distinguish touch from letting go.

The new structure for the H⁺-coupled sucrose uptake transporter AtSUC1 helps us understand the mechanism used by plants for cellular sucrose uptake and phloem loading.

Pollen coat is important in protecting plant male gametes. The authors review genes and proteins involved in its biosynthesis, transport and regulation processes in rice and Arabidopsis, and highlight the usage of pollen coat-deficient mutants in plant breeding.

The biosynthesis of plant specialized metabolites is strictly regulated in time and space. We have identified a robust transcriptional network, composed of transcriptional activators, co-activators and repressors, which steers cell-specific and jasmonate-inducible triterpene biosynthesis in the outer tissues of Arabidopsis root tips.

The regulatory networks that underlie the regeneration capacity of wheat reveal new opportunities for overcoming barriers to highly efficient and genotype-independent transformation.

Short-term heat stress affects the morphology and function of the plant Golgi apparatus in a reversible manner. The autophagy component AUTOPHAGY 8 relocalizes to heat stress-induced vacuolated Golgi cisternae and contributes to their restoration, revealing a role of this protein outside of the canonical autophagy pathway.

The flat structure of a leaf blade enables it to function as a photosynthetic organ for efficient light capture. The leaf rim or the edge-most region of leaf margin directs the planar growth of both leaves and ligules in grasses.

Hormone-dependent suberin deposition is a key process in root development and in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. A recent study demonstrates that long- and short-distance transport of abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellin (GA) via four members of the nitrate and peptide transporter family (NPFs) is crucial for endodermal suberization in roots.

Only a limited subset of angiosperms produce cannabinoids. Evidence for the independent evolution of cannabinoid biosynthesis was discovered in the South African plant Helichrysum umbraculigerum. This discovery provides an alternative set of enzymes that will expand the synthetic biology toolbox for those interested in manipulating the pathway for drug discovery.

Photorespiration is known to be involved in carbon flux in plants, enabling the carbon lost during RuBisCO oxygenation to be recovered. We show that NPF8.4 is a transporter responsible for sequestering the photorespiratory carbon intermediate glycerate into vacuoles during nitrogen depletion, elucidating a novel function for photorespiration in nitrogen flux.

Maximization of reproductive success is critical for plant fitness. To this end, the flowering process must be finely tuned. We show that the rice florigen-like protein FT-L1 contributes to plant entrance into the reproductive phase and enables a balanced progression of inflorescence development.

A genetic approach that combines forward genetics with dynamically targeted genome-scale CRISPR–Cas9 tools has been developed to unmask phenotypic variation in Arabidopsis thaliana that is otherwise hidden by functional redundancy. This approach, called Multi-Knock, should be readily deployable by scientists and breeders for basic research and to expedite breeding efforts.

Gossypol is a defense compound in cotton; both axially chiral gossypol enantiomers confer pest resistance, but (−)-gossypol is toxic for humans. We identified a gene (GhDIR5) that selectively promotes (−)-gossypol synthesis. GhDIR5 knockout enabled the production of (−)-gossypol-depleted cottonseeds without affecting pest resistance.

Sequences of almost 800 wheat genomes have retraced the history of wheat: when and where it was domesticated, how cultivation spread from its Middle Eastern centre of origin and how the genome adapted to selective pressures in new agricultural habitats, not least thanks to its ability to take up genes from wild cousins.

A tethering approach based on a LexA–CENH3 fusion protein in maize activates functional centromeres at synthetic LexO repeat arrays. The synthetic centromeres cause fragmentation of the resulting dicentric chromosomes, resulting in stably inherited and self-sustaining neochromosomes.

Kiwifruit are a dioecious species with genetic sex determination that involves genes in a male-specific region of the Y chromosome. One Y-encoded sex determining gene, Shy Girl, also controls sexually dimorphic traits. This property can explain our observation of recurrent recent changes in these genes’ location in related species.

Plant gene silencing is usually achieved through chromatin modifications and repressive transcription factors. We used a gain-of-function approach in Arabidopsis that identified 14 proteins that can repress gene expression via diverse epigenetic pathways, including DNA methylation, histone modifications and interference with RNA polymerase II transcription.

Using leaf explants and morphological regulator genes (Babyboom and Wuschel 2) driven by new promoter combinations, an efficient transformation and genome editing system is developed in maize and sorghum and successfully applied in seven other Poaceae grass species.