The last decade has seen significant advances in the application of quantitative mass spectrometry-based proteomics technologies to tackle important questions in plant biology. The current standard for quantitative proteomics in plants is the use of data-dependent acquisition (DDA) analysis with and without the use of chemical labels. However, major limitations of the DDA approach are the preferential

Inducible systems for transgene expression activated by a chemical inducer or an inducer of non-plant origin are desirable tools for both basic plant research and biotechnology. Although, the technology has been widely exploited in model plants, it has not been optimised for use with the major monocotyledonous crop species, namely rice. We have adapted the dexamethasone-inducible pOp6/LhGR system for

Root axial conductance which describes the ability of water to pass throw the xylem, contributes to the rate of water uptake from the soil throughout the whole plant lifecycle. In a rainfed wheat agro-system, grain-filling is typically occurring during declining water availability (i.e. terminal drought). Therefore, preserving soil water moisture during grain filling could serve as a key adaptive trait

The source-sink relationship is key to overall crop performance. Detailed understanding of the factors that determine source-sink dynamics is imperative for the balance of biomass and grain yield in crop plants. We investigated the differences in the source-sink relationship between a cultivated rice Oryza sativa cv. Nipponbare and a wild rice Oryza australiensis that show striking differences in biomass

Plants detect neighboring competitors through a decrease in the ratio between red and far-red light (R:FR). This decreased R:FR is perceived by phytochrome photoreceptors and triggers shade avoidance responses such as shoot elongation and upward leaf movement (hyponasty). In addition to promoting elongation growth, low R:FR perception enhances plant susceptibility to pathogens: the growth-defense trade-off

H+-PPase acidifies the endo-membrane compartments utilizing the energy of PPi hydrolysis. This acidification creates an electrochemical proton gradient that powers the secondary active transport and allows for vacuolar accumulation of several materials against their concentration gradients. The hydrolysis of the cytosolic PPi is necessary for the forwardness of the PPi-generating reactions. However

Somaclonal variation was studied by whole-genome sequencing in rice plants (Oryza sativa L., 'Nipponbare') regenerated from the zygotes, mature embryos, and immature embryos of a single mother plant. The mother plant and its seed-propagated progeny were also sequenced. A total of 338 variants of the mother plant sequence were detected in the progeny, and mean values ranged from 9.0 of the seed-propagated

A novel chitin-binding lectin was isolated from the tubers of a plant Aponogeton natans from the monocot family Aponogetonaceae, designated as ANTL (Aponogeton natans tuber lectin). The lectin agglutinated both untreated and trypsin-treated rabbit erythrocytes, as well as human blood cells of groups A, B and O with different specificities. Lectin activity is inhibited by the oligomers of N-acetylglucosamine

The phytohormones salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonic acid (JA) promote two, mutually antagonistic immune pathways respectively protecting plants from biotrophic pathogens and necrotrophic pathogens or insects. This trade-off largely precludes the exploitation of SA and JA immune components for crop protection, raising the interest in immune signalling components that disrupt SA-JA antagonism. A local

Plant small RNAs (sRNAs) play important roles in plant growth and development by modulating expression of genes and transposons. In many flowering plant species, male reproductive organs, the anthers, produce abundant phased small interfering RNAs (phasiRNAs). Two classes of reproductive phasiRNAs are generally known, mostly from monocots: pre-meiotic 21-nt phasiRNAs triggered by miR2118, and meiotic

Plant microRNAs (miRs) play an important role in regulating gene expression under normal and stressful environments. Here we report the functional implications on the role of OsamiR820, which can be grouped as a young, rice specific miR. It is a member of the class II transposon derived small RNA family and is processed as 21 nt and 24 nt length variants, respectively. Size of the miR820 family varies

The induction of high photosynthetic capacity (i.e., the CO2- and light-saturated maximum photosynthetic rate) in HL is a shared response among many herbaceous dicot plants. The increase in photosynthetic capacity following a shift to growth in high light (HL) was measured across a large panel of Arabidopsis thaliana ecotypes revealing substantial ecotypic variation in photosynthetic capacity acclimation

The physical presence of roots and the compounds they release affect the cohesion between roots and their environment. However, the plant traits that are important for these interactions are unknown and most methods that quantify the contributions of these traits are time-intensive and require specialist equipment and complex substrates. Our lab developed an inexpensive, high-throughput phenotyping

Plant innate immunity is activated upon perception of invasion pattern molecules by plant cell-surface immune receptors. Several bacteria of the genera Pseudomonas and Burkholderia produce rhamnolipids (RLs) from L-rhamnose and (R)-3-hydroxyalkanoate precursors (HAAs). RL and HAA secretion is required to modulate bacterial surface motility, biofilm development, and thus successful colonization of hosts

Ligand recognition by cell-surface receptors underlies development and immunity in both animals and plants. Modulating receptor signaling is critical for appropriate cellular responses but the mechanisms ensuring this are poorly understood. Here, we show that signaling by plant receptors for pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) in immunity and CLAVATA3/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION-RELATED peptides

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) rely on their host plants to provide them with fatty acids (FA), but the precise form(s) in which they are supplied is still unclear. Here we show that ectopic expression of the transcription factor REQUIRED FOR ARBUSCULAR MYCORRHIZATION 1 (RAM1) can drive secretion of 2-monoacylglycerols (2MGs) from Medicago truncatula roots and that their main FA moiety is palmitic

Mangifera indica is the fifth most consumed fruit worldwide, and the most important in tropical regions, but its anatomy is quite unexplored. Previous studies examined the effect of chemicals on the xylem structure in the stems of mango, but the anatomy of the phloem has remained elusive, leaving the long-distance transport of photoassimilates understudied. In this work, we used a combination of fluorescence

The biological purpose of plant stem cells is to maintain themselves while providing new pools of differentiated cells that form organs and rejuvenate or replace damaged tissues. Protein homeostasis, or proteostasis, is required for cell function and viability. However, the link between proteostasis and plant stem cell identity remains unknown. In contrast to their differentiated counterparts, we find

Growth promotion by endosymbiont Piriformospora indica has been observed in various plants; however, specific functional metabolites involved in P. indica mediated growth promotion are unknown. A GC-MS based untargeted metabolite analysis was used to identify Solanum lycopersicum metabolites altered during P. indica mediated growth promotion. Metabolomic analysis showed primary metabolites altered

Transcriptomic changes at the cessation of sugar accumulation in the pericarp of Vitis vinifera were addressed on single berries re-synchronized according to their individual growth patterns. The net rates of water, sugars and K+ accumulation inferred from individual growth and solute concentration confirmed that these inflows stopped simultaneously in the ripe berry, while the small amount of malic

DNA methylation is an important epigenetic mark required for proper gene expression and silencing of transposable elements. DNA methylation patterns can be modified by environmental factors such as pathogen infection, where modification of DNA methylation can be associated with plant resistance. To counter the plant defense pathways, pathogens produce effectors molecule, several of which act as proteasome

Recognition of a pathogen avirulence (AVR) effector protein by a cognate plant resistance (R) protein triggers a set of immune responses that render the plant resistant. Pathogens can escape this so-called Effector-Triggered Immunity (ETI) by different mechanisms including the deletion or loss-of-function mutation of the AVR gene, the incorporation of point mutations that allow recognition to be evaded

Seeds produce a myriad of Specialized Metabolites (SMs). Nevertheless, despite the essential role of SMs in the interaction of plants with their environment, studying the ability of crop seeds to produce these protective compounds has been neglected. Camelina is an oilseed crop, whose seeds are characterized by high oil content and a unique composition, including broad SM diversity. We characterized

RNA silencing is as an adaptive immune response in plants that limits accumulation or spread of invading viruses. Successful virus infection entails countering the RNA silencing for efficient replication and systemic spread in the host. The viruses encode proteins having the ability to suppress or block the host silencing mechanism, resulting in severe pathogenic symptoms and diseases. Tungro virus

The mechanisms that allow cells in the plant meristem to coordinate tissue-wide maturation gradients with specialized cell networks are critical for indeterminate growth. Here, we reconstructed the protophloem developmental trajectory of 19 cells from cell birth to terminal differentiation at single cell resolution in the Arabidopsis root. We found that cellular specification is mediated near the stem

Firmness is one of the most important factors that affect postharvest properties of tomato fruit. However, the regulatory mechanism underlying firmness formation in tomato fruit is poorly understood. Here, we report a novel role of SlBES1, a transcriptional factor (TF) mediating brassinosteroid (BR) signaling, in tomato fruit softening. We first found that SlBES1 promotes fruit softening during tomato

The post green revolution agriculture is based on generous application of fertilizers and high-yielding genotypes that are suited for such high input regimes. Cereals, like maize ( Zea mays L.) are capable of utilizing less than 20% of the applied inorganic phosphate (Pi) - a non-renewable fertilizer resource. A greater understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the acquisition, transportation

Considerable progress has been made towards the understanding of triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation in algae. One key aspect is finding conditions that trigger TAG production without reducing cell division. Previously, we identified a soluble diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT), related to plant DGAT3, with heterologous DGAT activity. In this work, we demonstrate that Chlamydomonas reinhardtii DGAT3

Genome editing by RNA-guided nucleases, such as SpCas9, has been used in numerous different plant species. However, to what extent multiple independent loci can be targeted simultaneously by multiplexing has not been well-documented. Here, we developed a toolkit, based on a highly intron-optimized zCas9i gene, which allows assembly of nuclease constructs expressing up to 32 sgRNAs. We used this toolkit

Water availability is perhaps the greatest environmental determinant of plant yield and fitness. However, our understanding of plant-water relations is limited because it is primarily informed by experiments considering soil moisture variability at two discrete levels - wet and dry - rather than as a continuously varying environmental gradient. Here we used experimental and statistical methods based

Spatial metabolomics uses imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) to localize metabolites within tissue section. Here, we performed matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance-IMS (MALDI-FTICR-IMS) to identify the localization of asparaptine, a naturally occurring inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme, in green spears of asparagus (Asparagus officinalis). Spatial

In photosynthesis, solar energy is converted into stored chemical energy and oxygen. In higher plants, the photosynthetic process is performed and regulated by the Photosystem II (PSII). Arabidopsis thaliana was the first higher plant with a fully sequenced genome, conferring it the status of a model organism; nonetheless, a high-resolution structure of its Photosystem II is missing. Using single-particle

Radial expansion is a classic response of roots to mechanical impedance that has generally been assumed to aid penetration. We analysed the response of maize nodal roots to impedance to test the hypothesis that radial expansion is not related to the ability of roots to cross a compacted soil layer. Genotypes varied in their ability to cross the compacted layer, and those with a steeper approach to

Changes in gene expression are important for response to abiotic stress. Transcriptome profiling performed on maize inbred and hybrid genotypes subjected to heat or cold stress identifies many transcript abundance changes in response to these environmental conditions. Motifs that are enriched near differentially expressed genes were used to develop machine learning models to predict gene expression

Plants release specialized (secondary) metabolites from their roots to communicate with other organisms, including soil microorganisms. The spatial behavior of such metabolites around these roots can help us understand roles for the communication; however, currently they are unclear because soil-based studies are complex. Here, we established a multi-metabolomics approach using imaging mass spectrometry

Although plant diseases generally cause more severe symptoms under conditions of high temperature and high humidity(HTHH), how plant respond to pathogen attack under this condition remains elusive. As an example, we herein comparatively studied pepper(Capsicum annuum) immunity against Ralstonia solanacearum under HTHH and ambient temperature by approaches of reverse genetics. We found that pepper respond

Plant long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as important regulators of chromatin dynamics, impacting on transcriptional programs leading to different developmental outputs. The lncRNA AUXIN REGULATED PROMOTER LOOP ( APOLO ) directly recognizes multiple independent loci across the Arabidopsis genome and modulates their three-dimensional chromatin conformation, leading to transcriptional shifts

Research on stomata, i.e., morphological structures of plants, has increased in popularity in the last years. These structures (pores) are in charge of the interaction between the internal plant system and the environment, working on different processes such as photosynthesis and transpiration stream. Besides, a better understanding of the pore mechanism plays a significant role when exploring the

Climate change has created an environment where heat stress conditions are becoming more frequent as temperatures continue to rise in crop production areas around the world. This situation leads to decreased crop production due to plant sensitivity to heat stress. Reproductive success is critically dependent on plants' ability to produce functional pollen grains, which are the most thermo-sensitive

Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) has many epidermal cell outgrowths including conical cells and multiple types of trichomes. These include the anther-specific trichome mesh which holds the anthers connate. The R2R3 Myb Subgroup 9 family of transcription factors is involved in development of epidermal cell outgrowths throughout the angiosperms. No previous study has examined all members of this transcription

Drought is an important factor limiting crop yield and food insecurity globally. Sixty- percent of the bean production areas are prone to drought and subsequently result in eighty-percent of yield reduction. It is emerging as a rising threat to farming communities in Bhutan. Limited studies on crop drought tolerance done in Bhutan. Six bean genotypes (Orey serbu, Orey regtang, Orey brokchilu, Yadhipa

Cadmium (Cd) accumulation in maize grains is detrimental to human health. Developing maize varieties with low-Cd contents via marker-assisted selection is important for ensuring the production of maize grains safe for consumption. However, the key gene controlling maize grain Cd accumulation has not been cloned. In this study, we identified two major loci for maize grain Cd accumulation (qCd1 and qCd2)

Both above- and below-ground parts of plants are constantly confronted with microbes, which are main drivers for the development of plant-microbe interactions. Plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria enhance the immunity of above-ground tissues, which is known as induced systemic resistance (ISR). We show here that ISR also influences the leaf microbiome. We compared ISR triggered by the model strain

Genetically accessible variation to some of the abiotic and biotic stresses are limited in the cultivated lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) germplasm. Introgression of novel alleles from its wild relative species might be required for enhancing the genetic improvement of the crop. L. ervoides, one of the wild relatives of lentil, is a proven source of disease resistance for the crop. Here we introduce

Temperature sensitivity--the magnitude of a biological response per °C--is a fundamental concept across scientific disciplines, especially biology, where temperature determines the rate of many plant, animal and ecosystem processes. Recently, a growing body of literature in global change biology has found temperature sensitivities decline as temperatures rise (1; 2; 3; 4). Such observations have been

Multicellular organisms exchange information and resources between cells to co-ordinate growth and responses. In plants, plasmodesmata establish cytoplasmic continuity between cells to allow for communication and resource exchange across the cell wall. Some plant pathogens use plasmodesmata as a pathway for both molecular and physical invasion. However, the benefits of molecular invasion (cell-to-cell

Cell wall integrity plays an essential role during cell elongation impacting on polar growth (e.g. in pollen tubes and root hairs). Proline-rich Extensin-like Receptor Kinases (PERK) belong to the hydroxyproline-rich glycoprotein (HRGP) superfamily of cell surface glycoproteins. Here, we identified two PERKs from Arabidopsis thaliana, PERK5 and PERK12 highly expressed in mature pollen and pollen tubes

Spodoptera frugiperda (fall armyworm) is a notorious pest that threatens maize production world-wide. Current control measures involve the use of chemical insecticides and transgenic maize expressing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins. Although several additional transgenes have confirmed insecticidal activity in other plants, limited research has been conducted in maize, at least partially due to

Non-specific lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) represent a sub-class among the large family of Cysteine-rich proteins (CRPs) specific to land plants. LTPs possess a hydrophobic cavity, enabling them to bind and stabilize a variety of lipid molecules outside membranes. In line with the existence of an N-terminal signal peptide, secreted LTPs represent a well-suited mobile signal carrier in the plants extracellular

The transcriptional regulators of arsenic-induced gene expression remain largely unknown; however, arsenic exposure rapidly depletes cellular glutathione levels increasing demand for thiol compounds from the sulfur assimilation pathway. Thus, sulfur assimilation is tightly linked with arsenic detoxification. To explore the hypothesis that the key transcriptional regulator of sulfur assimilation, SLIM1

Pseudomonas syringae (P. syringae) type-III effectors were previously found to suppress the Arabidopsis microRNA (miRNA) pathway through unknown mechanisms. Here, we first show that the P. syringae HopT1-1 effector promotes pathogenicity by suppressing the Arabidopsis Argonaute 1 (AGO1)-dependent miRNA pathway. We further demonstrate that HopT1-1 physically interacts with Arabidopsis AGO1 through conserved

C4 photosynthesis has evolved independently in over sixty lineages and in so doing repurposed existing enzymes to drive a carbon pump that limits the RuBisCO oxygenation reaction. In all cases, gene expression is modified such that C4 proteins accumulate to levels matching those of the photosynthetic apparatus. To better understand this rewiring of gene expression we undertook RNA- and DNaseI-SEQ on

Over 70% of flowering plants are hermaphroditic, with male and female parts in the same flower. Hermaphroditism is cost-effective because a common investment in reward and attractive structures yields benefits through both male and female reproductive success. However, the advantage is accompanied by an increased risk of self-pollen deposition, which is disadvantageous for both self-compatible and

Plants synthesize and release specialized metabolites into their environment that can serve as chemical cues for other organisms. Metabolites that are released from the roots are important factors in determining which microorganisms will colonize the root and become part of the plant rhizosphere microbiota and microbiome. Root exudates are often further converted by soil microorganisms, which can result

Healthy plants are colonized by microorganisms from the surrounding environment, which form stable communities and provide beneficial services to the host. Culture-independent profiling of the bacterial root microbiota shows that different plant species are colonized by distinct bacterial communities, even if they share the same habitat. It is, however, not known to what extent the host actively selects

Photoperiod strictly controlled vegetative and reproductive growth stages in soybean. A soybean GmRAV transcription factor containing both AP2 and B3 domains was shown to be a key component of this process. We identified six polymorphisms in GmRAV promoter that showed significant association with flowering time and maturity of soybean in one or multiple environments. Soybean varieties with minor polymorphism

The time between appearance of successive leaves or phyllochron enables to characterize the vegetative development of maize plants which determines their flowering time. Phyllochron is usually considered as constant over the development of a given plant, even though studies have demonstrated response of growth parameters to environmental variables. In this paper, we proposed a novel statistical approach

Coprinopsis cinerea lectin 2 (CCL2) is a fucoside-binding lectin from the basidiomycete C. cinerea that is toxic to the bacterivorous nematode Caenorhabditis elegans as well as animal-parasitic and fungivorous nematodes. We expressed CCL2 in Arabidopsis to assess its protective potential towards plant-parasitic nematodes. Our results demonstrate that expression of CCL2 enhances host resistance against

In higher plants, the development of the vascular system is controlled by a complex network of transcription factors. However, how nutrient availability in the vascular cells affects their development remains to be addressed. At the cellular level, cytosolic sugar availability is regulated mainly by sugar exchanges at the tonoplast through active and/or facilitated transport. In Arabidopsis thaliana