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Crop fungal diseases pose great threats to global food security. This study isolates and characterizes three BED-domain-containing immune receptor genes from hexaploid wheat that confer resistance to yellow rust with distinct recognition specificities.
The origin and regulatory roles of isopentenyl phosphate (IP) in plant terpenoid metabolism remain unclear. Now, a study reports the enzymes for IP production and shows that these enzymes can be used to manipulate terpene production.
The circadian clock involves daily variations in transcription of a set of core genes. Here, the authors show that oscillations in free calcium concentration, read by calmodulin-like proteins, regulate the clock and are part of this complex mechanism.
Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is one of the most important sources of nitrogen in terrestrial ecosystems. In this study, the researchers demonstrate that light availability is an outstanding driver of symbiotic nitrogen fixation in tropical leguminous trees.
A study finds a novel mechanism of plant dosage compensation, where genomic imprinting results in higher expression of maternal X chromosomes, by examining the evolutionarily young XY sex determination system of Silene latifolia.
Self-incompatibility of potatoes hinders the development of inbred diploid lines and breeding efficiency. Now, a study generated self-compatible diploid potatoes by knocking out a self-incompatibility gene, opening new avenues for potato breeding.
REF6 is a histone demethylase that antagonizes the effect of the Polycomb gene-silencing complex. Genome-wide approaches on a novel triple mutant show that REF6 and its paralogues dynamically and spatially restrict Polycomb activity during development.
SNC1 is an intracellular NLR immune receptor controlled by the E3 ubiquitin ligase SCFCPR1. A reverse genetic screen in Arabidopsis identified three clustered NLR partners of SNC1 named SIKICs, which are themselves regulated by novel E3 ubiquitin ligases MUSE1 and MUSE2.
Pectin, the major gelling component of the plant cell wall, is rich in galacturonic acids that compose the backbones of pectic polysaccharides. Now, researchers have identified a new family of enzymes responsible for synthesizing the backbone of pectin, RG-I.
Two opposite processes control the size of the protective root cap in Arabidopsis during growth: cell division and shedding of old cells layers (sloughing). Here, the authors show the role of a receptor–ligand pair in this regulation.
How can cells differentiate into different types? Here, the authors identify the minimal requirement (the SHR transcription factor and the CIF2 peptide) in Arabidopsis roots to transform an epidermis cell into an endodermis cell.
Chloroplast translation is critical for chloroplast biogenesis. The degree of conservation and divergence of chloroplast translation among different plant species is still enigmatic. Now, a targeted ribosome-profiling approach was applied in three model plants to tackle this problem.
This study provides a map of N6-methyladenine in the rice genome, examines its association with gene expression and 5-methylcytosine and reports a potential demethylase for this epigenomic mark.
Fossil records suggest that the Amazon rainforest in the pre-Columbian era was home to polyculture agroforestry, with multiple annual crops providing subsistence for indigenous groups who shaped the Amazon as early as 4,500 years ago.
In Arabidopsis, the pattern of auxin in the early embryo and surrounding tissues before and after pollination suggests that the auxin needed for embryo development comes from the adjacent maternal integument tissue.
A MATL gene mutation was found to induce haploids in maize. Now, knocking out the MATL orthologue in rice results in haploid induction at a rate of 2–6%, suggesting the functional conservation of MATL, and represents an advance for rice breeding.
The vascular cambium is a lateral meristem that is particularly active during secondary growth. Here, several signalling pathways (peptide, receptor, auxin and cytokinin) are linked together to explain how vascular development is regulated.
Plants are sensitive to temperature changes. Now, researchers have found an alternative splicing factor that is essential for the development of Arabidopsis under low temperature, and bridges between alternative splicing and temperature sensitivity.
NLR immune receptors recognize pathogen effectors and activate a response that leads to resistance. The specific interactions between five rice receptor variants and their cognate effectors are studied by solving the structures of the complexes.
During the cell cycle, BUB3 acts in spindle assembly checkpoint control. In plants, it is also involved in phragmoplast formation, interacting with microtubule-associated proteins to coordinate the expansion of the phragmoplast microtubule array.