Volume 1 Issue 10, October 2015

CRISPR–Cas technology has been extensively applied to editing endogenous genes in plants for gene functional studies. New application of this technology to combating viral infection by destroying invading virus DNA has now become possible in plants.

The length of root hairs, a critical determinant of a plant's absorption capacity, is dictated by a translational pulse of the transcription factor RSL4. The intensity and duration of this pulse depends on the integration of endogenous and environmental information that tunes the phenotypic readout to the environment.

Most plant pattern recognition receptors induce immune responses by detecting molecular patterns typical to one group of microbes. A newly identified complex, on the other hand, monitors effector proteins widely distributed among bacteria, fungi and oomycetes, casting a new light on the evolution of pattern recognition in plants.

Large trees deliver many benefits to forest ecosystems, including the provision of habitats for other species and the storage of carbon. A synthesis of tree growth and mortality data from around the globe now suggests that under drought large trees are dying in higher numbers than smaller trees.

The geographic extent of stripe rust, a fungal disease that adversely affects wheat production, has increased in recent decades. Observations and model simulations suggest that over 5 million tonnes of wheat are lost to this pathogen each year, necessitating a sustained annual investment of at least US$32 million into rust resistance research.

RSL4 is a transcription factor synthesized during a 4-hour pulse at the initiation of the root hair elongation phase, and then degraded by the proteasome. Low phosphate conditions increase the length of the pulse, resulting in longer root hair.

The frequency of severe droughts is increasing in many regions around the world as a result of climate change. An analysis of tree growth and mortality data from forests worldwide suggests that large trees fare worse under drought than small trees.

Transient assays and transgenic experiments demonstrate that sgRNA/Cas9 constructs targeting the beet severe curly top virus (BSCTV) inhibit the virus accumulation and confer resistance in Arabidopsis and N. benthamiana.

Transient assays and transgenic experiments demonstrate that sgRNA/Cas9 constructs targeting the bean yellow dwarf virus inhibit the accumulation of the virus and confer resistance in transgenic N. benthamiana plants.

NLPs are immunogenic patterns present in three kingdoms of life. The authors identify the leucin-rich repeat membrane protein RLP23 as the NLP receptor in Arabidopsis. Expression of RLP23 in potato enhances immunity against pathogenic microbes.

Mimicry, deception and sensory exploitation of animals by plants is controversial, especially for seed dispersal. A field experiment in a South African nature reserve suggests that the large brown, round, strongly scented seeds of Ceratocaryum argenteum that emit many volatiles found to be present in herbivore dung, attract dung beetles that roll and bury them.

Predictions suggest that a high proportion of plant species will be threatened with extinction in the near future. A global assessment of the threat status of cacti suggests that these iconic plants are amongst the most threatened taxonomic groups, with 31% of the 1,478 evaluated species at risk of extinction.