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Arabidopsis ubiquitin ligase MIEL1 mediates degradation of the transcription factor MYB30 weakening plant defence
In plants, the regulatory mechanisms that control disease resistance responses remain poorly understood. Marino et al. show that the Arabidopsis E3 ubiquitin ligase MIEL1 interacts with and ubiquitinates the MYB transcription factor (TF), MYB30, leading to proteasomal degradation of MYB30 and attenuation of plant defence.
- Daniel Marino
- , Solène Froidure
- & Susana Rivas
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Article
| Open AccessAllelic variation at a single gene increases food value in a drought-tolerant staple cereal
Sorghum is a drought-adapted cereal, but the grains have lower digestibility than other cereal crops. This work shows that a low-frequency allele type in the starch metabolic gene pullulanase is associated with increased digestibility, which may help improve sorghum yield and therefore food security.
- Edward K. Gilding
- , Celine H. Frère
- & Ian D. Godwin
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EAT1 promotes tapetal cell death by regulating aspartic proteases during male reproductive development in rice
Programmed cell death is essential for the development of plants. Here Niu et al.characterize a rice mutant with deletions in the transcription factor, ETERNAL TAPETUM 1, which is shown to positively regulate programmed cell death by modulating expression of two aspartic proteases.
- Ningning Niu
- , Wanqi Liang
- & Dabing Zhang
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Article
| Open AccessThe evolution and pathogenic mechanisms of the rice sheath blight pathogen
The rice sheath blight pathogen, Rhizoctonia solani, is an important fungal pathogen that can devastate rice and maize crops. Zheng and colleagues sequence and assemble the R. solani AG1 IA genome—the first to be sequenced from the Rhizoctoniagenus—using Illumina sequencing technology.
- Aiping Zheng
- , Runmao Lin
- & Ping Li
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Plant tumour biocontrol agent employs a tRNA-dependent mechanism to inhibit leucyl-tRNA synthetase
Agrobacterium radiobacter strain K84 generates an antibiotic targeting pathogenic strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens, enabling its use as a biocontrol to prevent infection of crops. Here the authors show that this antibiotic inhibits leucyl-tRNA synthetases via an unusual mechanism that depends on binding of tRNALeu.
- Shaileja Chopra
- , Andrés Palencia
- & John S. Reader
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Release of SOS2 kinase from sequestration with GIGANTEA determines salt tolerance in Arabidopsis
The flowering time and clock-related protein GIGANTEA has been broadly implicated in the development and physiology of plants. Kim and colleagues studyArabidopsisand find that GIGANTEA modulates salt stress via the release of the protein kinase SOS2, which is required for salt tolerance.
- Woe-Yeon Kim
- , Zahir Ali
- & Dae-Jin Yun
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Article
| Open AccessTransgenerational gene silencing causes gain of virulence in a plant pathogen
Plant pathogens encode effector proteins that trigger immunity in plants carrying appropriate resistance genes. Here Qutob et al. show non-Mendelian interactions between naturally occurring Phytophthora sojaealleles that result in transgenerational gene silencing and gain of virulence in soybean plants.
- Dinah Qutob
- , B. Patrick Chapman
- & Mark Gijzen
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Structured patterns in geographic variability of metabolic phenotypes in Arabidopsis thaliana
Plants such asArabidopsishave evolved genetic adaptations to their geographic location. Here, a network-based approach is applied to study the link between geographic location and heterogeneous molecular phenotypes, revealing a pattern of isolation by distance in genotypic variability, flowering and metabolic phenotypes.
- Sabrina Kleessen
- , Carla Antonio
- & Zoran Nikoloski
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Article
| Open AccessThe genome of Prunus mume
The Prunus mume was domesticated in China over 3,000 years ago and is an important ornamental plant and fruit. Here Qixiang Zhang et al.obtain the first assembly of its genome with a combination of next-generation sequencing, whole-genome mapping and restriction-site-associated DNA.
- Qixiang Zhang
- , Wenbin Chen
- & Jun Wang
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Fossil pollen records reveal a late rise of open-habitat ecosystems in Patagonia
The rise of open-habitat ecosystems in southern South America is thought to have occurred with the spread of hypsodont mammals 26 million years ago. In this study, the fossil record of plants preserved in Patagonia suggests that open-habitat ecosystems emerged 15 million years later than previously assumed.
- Luis Palazzesi
- & Viviana Barreda
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Recent patterns of crop yield growth and stagnation
Demand for crops is increasing, but it is not clear whether the yields can meet this demand. Using crop yield observations, this study analyses global trends and finds that while yields continue to increase in some areas, across 24–39% of crop-growing regions, yields have stagnated or declined over the past 50 years.
- Deepak K. Ray
- , Navin Ramankutty
- & Jonathan A. Foley
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CRT1 is a nuclear-translocated MORC endonuclease that participates in multiple levels of plant immunity
The CRT1 gene in Arabidopsis confers effector-triggered immunity. Here Kang et al.show that CRT1 has a broader endonuclease role in plant innate immunity, including basal, non-host and systemic acquired resistance, and becomes partially localized to the nucleus upon immune receptor activation.
- Hong-Gu Kang
- , Hyong Woo Choi
- & Daniel F. Klessig
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Distinct modes of DNA accessibility in plant chromatin
Epigenetic modifications are thought to affect the accessibility of DNA, but it is not clear whether this is a universal effect. These authors map DNA accessibility inArabidopsis thalianaand find that, in contrast to fruitflies, H3K9 dimethylation reduces accessibility in a DNA methylation-dependent manner.
- Huan Shu
- , Thomas Wildhaber
- & Lars Hennig
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Article
| Open AccessA multi-structural and multi-functional integrated fog collection system in cactus
Biological structures such as the backs of beetles and spider silk have fog-collecting properties. Here, clusters of conical spines and trichomes on the stem of the cactus O. microdasysare found to be responsible for its fog-collecting abilities.
- Jie Ju
- , Hao Bai
- & Lei Jiang
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| Open AccessA critical transition in leaf evolution facilitated the Cretaceous angiosperm revolution
The great increase in flowering angiosperm plants during the Cretaceous began the change towards modern biodiversity. This study shows that rapid angiosperm evolution was possible once the leaf interior transport path length for water became shorter than the leaf interior transport path length for carbon dioxide.
- Hugo Jan de Boer
- , Maarten B. Eppinga
- & Stefan C. Dekker
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Cellulose degradation and assimilation by the unicellular phototrophic eukaryote Chlamydomonas reinhardtii
Although cellulose is abundant in the biosphere, its potential as a source of biofuel depends on finding efficient ways to degrade it. Blifernez-Klassen et al. show that phototrophic microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtiican metabolize cellulose, indicating its potential as a catalyst for biofuel production.
- Olga Blifernez-Klassen
- , Viktor Klassen
- & Olaf Kruse
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| Open AccessAn insect-induced novel plant phenotype for sustaining social life in a closed system
Some social aphids have evolved to live inside completely closed galls, which presents a waste disposal problem of the honeydew that collects inside the gall. Here, Kutsukake et al.show that the gall inner surface is specialized for absorbing water, removing honeydew via the plant vascular system.
- Mayako Kutsukake
- , Xian-Ying Meng
- & Takema Fukatsu
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| Open AccessWidespread impact of horizontal gene transfer on plant colonization of land
Although horizontal gene transfer is prevalent in microorganisms, such sharing of genetic information is thought to be rare in land plants. Focusing on the sequenced moss species,Physcomitrella patens, these authors report genes acquired from microorganisms, which might have facilitated early evolution of land plants.
- Jipei Yue
- , Xiangyang Hu
- & Jinling Huang
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Regional boreal biodiversity peaks at intermediate human disturbance
Human influence on an ecosystem generates a predictable pattern in biodiversity. In a study of boreal plant communities, Mayoret al.show that the species richness of native vascular plants fits the predicted hump-shaped relationship to human disturbance, reaching a maximum when half of the landscape is disturbed.
- S.J. Mayor
- , J.F. Cahill Jr
- & S. Boutin
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Production of α-L-iduronidase in maize for the potential treatment of a human lysosomal storage disease
The lysosomal storage disease mucopolysaccharidosis I is treated with recombinant α-L-iduronidase but production of the enzyme is expensive. In this study, α-L-iduronidase is compartmentalized within the endosperm of maize via a unique mRNA strategy yielding the active, correctly glycosylated protein.
- Xu He
- , Thomas Haselhorst
- & Allison R. Kermode
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Cis- and trans-regulatory divergence between progenitor species determines gene-expression novelty in Arabidopsis allopolyploids
Gene-expression divergence produces phenotypic diversity, but the molecular basis for this is not clear. Here, a genome-wide study ofcis- and trans-regulation in Arabidopsisallopolyploids and their progenitors provides evidence for natural selection and epigenetic regulation during evolution and speciation.
- Xiaoli Shi
- , Danny W-K. Ng
- & Z. Jeffrey Chen
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| Open AccessER-localized auxin transporter PIN8 regulates auxin homeostasis and male gametophyte development in Arabidopsis
Plant hormones, such as auxin, coordinate plant development. In this study, an auxin transporter—PIN8—that is expressed in the male gametophyte ofArabidopsis thaliana, is found to regulate cellular homoeostasis and maintain optimal levels of auxin for pollen development.
- Zhaojun Ding
- , Bangjun Wang
- & Jiří Friml
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| Open AccessCleavage and nuclear localization of the rice XA21 immune receptor
The rice pattern recognition receptor—XA21—confers immunity against the Gram-negative bacterial pathogen,Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. This study shows that the intracellular kinase domain of XA21 translocates to the nucleus and that this translocation is essential for the XA21-mediated immune response.
- Chang-Jin Park
- & Pamela C. Ronald
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Chloroplast-mediated activation of plant immune signalling in Arabidopsis
Mediators of plant immunity, such as salicylic acid, are produced in the chloroplasts, but the molecular link between chloroplasts and the immune system is unclear. This work finds that pathogen-associated molecular pattern signals are relayed to chloroplasts and evoke Ca2+signatures in the stroma.
- Hironari Nomura
- , Teiko Komori
- & Takashi Shiina
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| Open AccessDevelopmentally based scaling of leaf venation architecture explains global ecological patterns
The size of dicotyledon leaves and their venation vary enormously across ecosystems. In this study, using 485 plant species, scaling relationships are presented between vein traits and leaf size, and explained based on a developmental algorithm that demonstrates why smaller leaves persist in drier areas.
- Lawren Sack
- , Christine Scoffoni
- & Thusuong Tran
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| Open AccessContrasting arbuscular mycorrhizal responses of vascular and non-vascular plants to a simulated Palaeozoic CO2 decline
Vascular plants with root systems evolved in the mid-Palaeozoic with symbiotic fungi. Fieldet al. show that in contrast to non-vascular plants lacking roots, the efficiency of plant–fungal symbiosis increased for vascular plants with root systems as carbon dioxide levels declined in the mid-Palaeozoic.
- Katie J. Field
- , Duncan D. Cameron
- & David J. Beerling
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TEMPRANILLO genes link photoperiod and gibberellin pathways to control flowering in Arabidopsis
InArabidopsis the photoperiod pathway promotes flowering in response to longer days, but during short days flowering depends on gibberellin accumulation. This study shows that TEMPRANILLO downregulation is required to induce flowering, as TEMPRANILLOgenes repress floral induction in the photoperiod and gibberellin pathways.
- Michela Osnato
- , Cristina Castillejo
- & Soraya Pelaz
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VEGETATIVE1 is essential for development of the compound inflorescence in pea
An understanding of the genetic network that controls the flower-bearing structure—the inflorescence—in plants helps to explain the diversity seen in plant forms. This work identifies a new mechanism for the generation of inflorescence complexity in legumes, which is based on the function of theVEG1gene.
- Ana Berbel
- , Cristina Ferrándiz
- & Francisco Madueño
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| Open AccessDegradation of MONOCULM 1 by APC/CTAD1 regulates rice tillering
MONOCULM1 is a transcriptional regulator that controls rice tillering and therefore grain yield. In this study the authors demonstrate that MONOCULM1 interacts with TAD1, forming a complex which activates APC and targets MONOCULM1 for degradation.
- Cao Xu
- , Yonghong Wang
- & Jiayang Li
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| Open AccessRice APC/CTE controls tillering by mediating the degradation of MONOCULM 1
The protein complex APC/C is an E3 ubiquitin ligase and its subunit Cdh1 determines substrate recognition. Linet al. show that the transcriptional regulator MONOCULM1 is a substrate of the rice homologue of Cdh1 and that APC/C-mediated degradation of MONOCULM1 controls rice tillering, a determinant of grain yield.
- Qibing Lin
- , Dan Wang
- & Jianmin Wan
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Multiple exposures to drought 'train' transcriptional responses in Arabidopsis
Whether plants can remember their transcriptional response to stress is unknown. By repeatedly exposingArabidopsisto drought, we show that the plants remember their transcriptional response to stress and that the altered genes retain the epigenetic mark H3K4me3 and stalled phosphorylated polymerase II.
- Yong Ding
- , Michael Fromm
- & Zoya Avramova
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Article
| Open AccessAcquisition of aluminium tolerance by modification of a single gene in barley
Barley is an important food crop that has been adapted to grow on acidic soils that often contain toxic soluble aluminium. In this study, an insertion in the upstream region of a citrate transporter is shown to confer resistance of barley to aluminium toxicity and is found in aluminium-tolerant barley accessions.
- Miho Fujii
- , Kengo Yokosho
- & Jian Feng Ma
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| Open AccessDraft genome sequence and genetic transformation of the oleaginous alga Nannochloropsis gaditana
Algae show much promise in the production of biofuels owing to their high photoautotrophic biomass and lipid production rates. In this study, the draft genome ofNannochloropsis gaditanaCCMP526 and a method for the transformation of this alga are reported, facilitating the investigation of lipid synthesis and biofuel production.
- Randor Radakovits
- , Robert E. Jinkerson
- & Matthew C. Posewitz
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| Open AccessThe Gibberellin perception system evolved to regulate a pre-existing GAMYB-mediated system during land plant evolution
Plant male reproduction is controlled by gibberellin signalling via the transcription factor GAMYB. Here, deletion of GAMYB in a moss species lacking a gibberellin signalling pathway gives rise to abnormal spores, suggesting that primitive plants used GAMYB for the control of sexual organ development.
- Koichiro Aya
- , Yuji Hiwatashi
- & Makoto Matsuoka
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| Open AccessThe NMR structure of stomagen reveals the basis of stomatal density regulation by plant peptide hormones
Stomagen is a positive regulator of stomatal development in plants, whereas epidermal patterning factors 1 and 2 are negative regulators. Ohkiet al. present the NMR structure of stomagen and show that the stomagen loop domain is sufficient to positively regulate stomatal development.
- Shinya Ohki
- , Makoto Takeuchi
- & Masashi Mori
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A chloroplast envelope-bound PHD transcription factor mediates chloroplast signals to the nucleus
Retrograde chloroplast signals are essential in coordinating nuclear gene expression, but the mechanism that relays chloroplast signals to the nucleus remains elusive. In this study, a chloroplast envelope-bound transcription factor PTM is shown to transmit chloroplast signals to the nucleus.
- Xuwu Sun
- , Peiqiang Feng
- & Lixin Zhang
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Late Cretaceous origin of the rice tribe provides evidence for early diversification in Poaceae
In this study, fossils from the Late Cretaceous period in India are described and are assigned to the rice tribe based on phylogenetic comparison of morphological traits with modern grasses; these findings suggest that the evolutionary origins of the grass family, Poaceae, occurred earlier than previously thought.
- V. Prasad
- , C.A.E. Strömberg
- & A. Sahni
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| Open AccessGenome-wide association mapping reveals a rich genetic architecture of complex traits in Oryza sativa
Understanding the genetics and physiology of domesticated species is important for crop improvement. By studying natural variation and the phenotypic traits of 413 diverse accessions of rice, Zhao et al. identify many common genetic variants that influence quantitative traits such as seed size and flowering time.
- Keyan Zhao
- , Chih-Wei Tung
- & Susan R. McCouch
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Article
| Open AccessA CLASP-modulated cell edge barrier mechanism drives cell-wide cortical microtubule organization in Arabidopsis
How microtubules are organized correctly in plant cells is not well understood. Ambroseet al. use 4D imaging and computer modelling to show that sharp cell edges induce microtubule depolymerization and that the microtubule-associated protein CLASP mitigates this process to modulate array organization.
- Chris Ambrose
- , Jun F. Allard
- & Geoffrey O. Wasteneys
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| Open AccessArabidopsis nitrate reductase activity is stimulated by the E3 SUMO ligase AtSIZ1
Posttranslational modification of proteins by small ubiquitin-related modifier is a response to stress signalling in plants. Here, theArabdiposisprotein SIZ1 is shown to cause SUMOylation of nitrate reductases 1 and 2 and to increase their activity, suggesting that SIZ1 controls nitrate uptake via SUMOylation.
- Bong Soo Park
- , Jong Tae Song
- & Hak Soo Seo
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Burning vegetation produces cyanohydrins that liberate cyanide and stimulate seed germination
Cyanide, a known plant defence compound, can also stimulate seed germination. Flemattiet al. show that glyceronitrile is produced in wildfire smoke, which can release cyanide and stimulate seed germination of fire-responsive plant species, thus serving as an ecological store of cyanide.
- Gavin R. Flematti
- , David J. Merritt
- & Emilio L. Ghisalberti
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Article
| Open AccessMicroorganisms from aphid honeydew attract and enhance the efficacy of natural enemies
In this study, a bacterium is identified in the honeydew of aphids, which produces volatile chemicals and attracts hoverflies. The findings could aid the development of pest control systems for aphids.
- Pascal D. Leroy
- , Ahmed Sabri
- & Eric Haubruge
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Global-scale latitudinal patterns of plant fine-root nitrogen and phosphorus
Through fine-root nutrient chemistry, it is possible to study ecosystem-scale biogeochemical cycling. Compiling data from 211 studies measuring nitrogen and phosphorus in plant roots, Yuanet al. find that tropical ecosystems are more phosphorous-limited than higher latitudes.
- Z.Y. Yuan
- , Han Y.H. Chen
- & Peter B. Reich
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Origami-like unfolding of hydro-actuated ice plant seed capsules
Hydro-responsive plant movements have provided inspiration for the design of adaptive materials. Harringtonet al. investigate the hydration-dependent unfolding of ice plant seed capsules and find an origami-like folding pattern, which could aid the development of biomimetic folding structures.
- Matthew J. Harrington
- , Khashayar Razghandi
- & Ingo Burgert
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| Open AccessThe rice mitochondrial iron transporter is essential for plant growth
Increasing the nutritional content of plant crops and the identification of iron transporters in rice would facilitate the improvement of rice varieties. In this study, the authors identify a mitochondrial iron transporter in rice — MIT — and suggest that this gene is important for rice growth and development.
- Khurram Bashir
- , Yasuhiro Ishimaru
- & Naoko K. Nishizawa
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Article
| Open AccessA bacterial platform for fermentative production of plant alkaloids
Secondary metabolites are widely used in human health and nutrition, but extraction yields from plants are often low. Nakagawaet al. have engineered the metabolism of Escherichia colito develop a fermentation system that produces plant alkaloids from simple carbon sources.
- Akira Nakagawa
- , Hiromichi Minami
- & Hidehiko Kumagai
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Article
| Open AccessPhytoplankton growth after a century of dormancy illuminates past resilience to catastrophic darkness
Global darkness from an asteroid impact 65.5 million years ago led to massive extinction of oceanic phytoplankton, but coastal groups survived. Ribeiroet al.revive coastal dinoflagellates after a century of dormancy, suggesting phytoplankton survived the extinction and helped restore photosynthesis in the ocean.
- Sofia Ribeiro
- , Terje Berge
- & Marianne Ellegaard
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Two splice variants of the IDD14 transcription factor competitively form nonfunctional heterodimers which may regulate starch metabolism
The alternative splicing of genes increases the number and diversity of proteins produced within a cell. Seoet al. demonstrate that the beta form of the alternatively spliced Arabidopsis gene, IDD14, is produced under cold conditions and may have a role in regulating starch accumulation.
- Pil Joon Seo
- , Mi Jung Kim
- & Chung-Mo Park
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Article
| Open AccessPhotosynthetic growth despite a broken Q-cycle
The Q-cycle is thought to be an essential energetic component of the photosynthetic electron-transfer chain. Here, Chlamydomonas mutants with an inactive Q-cycle but normal levels ofb6fcomplexes are shown to display photosynthetic growth, demonstrating the dispensability of the Q-cycle in the oxygenic photosynthetic chain.
- Alizée Malnoë
- , Francis-André Wollman
- & Fabrice Rappaport
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