Cytokinin plays an important role in plant stress responses via a multistep signaling pathway, involving the histidine phosphotransfer proteins (HPs). In Arabidopsis thaliana, the AHP2, AHP3 and AHP5 proteins are known to impact drought responses; however, the role of AHP4 in drought adaptation remains undetermined. In the present study, using a loss-of-function approach we showed that AHP4 possesses

Root associated microbes are key players in plant health, disease resistance, and nitrogen (N) use efficiency. It remains largely unclear how the interplay of biological and environmental factors affects rhizobiome dynamics in agricultural systems. Here, we quantified the composition of rhizosphere and bulk soil microbial communities associated with maize (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max L.)

Plant-unique receptor kinases harbor conserved cytoplasmic kinase domains and sequence-diverse ectodomains. Here we report crystal structures of CRINKLY4-type ectodomains from Arabidopsis ACR4 and Physcomitrella patens PpCR4 at 1.95 Å and 2.70 Å resolution, respectively. Monomeric CRINKLY4 ectodomains harbor a N-terminal WD40 domain and a cysteine-rich domain (CRD) connected by a short linker. The

The process of drug discovery and development in the world over a recent year has been increasingly shaped by the formulaic approaches and natural products, prioritized by popular pharmaceutical industries. In many countries like Nepal, Randia dumetorum is one of the popular alternatives for overcoming various symptoms. It has been using by the people because of its wide range of therapeutic uses.

Salinity is an environmental stress that causes decline in crop yield. Avicennia officinalis and other mangroves have adaptations such as ultrafiltration at the roots aided by apoplastic cell-wall barriers to thrive in saline conditions. We studied a Cytochrome P450 gene, AoCYP94B1 from A. officinalis and its Arabidopsis ortholog AtCYP94B1 that are involved in apoplastic barrier formation, and are

The lengthy process to generate transformed plants is a limitation in current research on the interactions of the model plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae with plant hosts. Here we present an easy method called agromonas, where we quantify P. syringae growth in agroinfiltrated leaves of Nicotiana benthamiana using a cocktail of antibiotics to select P. syringae on plates. As a proof of concept, we

Enhancing the photosynthetic induction response to fluctuating light has been suggested as a key target for improvement in crop breeding programs, with the potential to substantially increase whole canopy carbon assimilation and contribute to crop yield potential. Rubisco activation may be the main physiological process that will allow us to achieve such a goal. In this study, we phenotypically assessed

The effects of drought stress can be devastating to crop production worldwide. A grand challenge facing agriculture is the development of crop varieties with improved drought resilience through breeding or biotechnology. To accelerate this, a mechanistic understanding is needed of the regulatory networks underlying drought response pathways in crop genomes and the genetic elements that modulate them

Light is an essential environmental cue that determines the overall growth and development of plants. However, the molecular mechanisms underpinning the light signaling network are obscured by the epigenetic machinery where reversible acetylation and deacetylation play crucial roles in modulating light-regulated gene expression. In this paper, we demonstrate that HDA15 represses COP1, the master switch

The Buxaceae constitute a morphologically diverse phylogenetic lineage of six genera, which includes about 140 species. The most well-known genera are Buxus, Sarcococca, and Pachysandra. Few species of woody Styloceras grow on mid-elevations in the Andes mountains region. Didymeles, with three species endemic to Madagascar, and the monotypic Haptanthus from Honduras, are the most unusual members of

Lophophora williamsii (Cactaceae) is thought to be threatened by habitat loss and overharvesting. However, basic demographic and habitat information to evaluate its conservation status has been lacking. We surveyed six wild populations of this species, three in South Texas and three in West Texas, to begin to address this gap. We found high levels of heterogeneity in plant presence and density at multiple

Regulation of the plant immune system is important for controlling the specificity and amplitude of responses to pathogens and in preventing growth-inhibiting autoimmunity that leads to reductions in plant fitness. In previous work, we reported that SRFR1, a negative regulator of effector-triggered immunity, interacts with SNC1 and EDS1. When SRFR1 is non-functional in the Arabidopsis accession Col-0

Barley yellow mosaic disease is caused by Barley yellow mosaic virus and Barley mild mosaic virus, and leads to severe yield losses in barley (Hordeum vulgare) in Central Europe and East-Asia. Several resistance loci are used in barley breeding. However, cases of resistance-breaking viral strains are known, raising concerns about the durability of those genes. Rym14Hb is a dominant major resistance

Gibberellins (GAs) are growth-promoting hormones that regulate organ growth, mainly via cell elongation. Contradicting reports leave an open question of whether GA is as important for root elongation as it is for stem elongation. Here we have addressed this question focusing on tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) primary-root elongation. We used a combination of physiological, molecular and genetic approaches

Fruit shape is the result of the interaction between genetic, epigenetic, environmental factors, and stochastic processes. As a core biological descriptor both for taxonomy and horticulture, the point at which shape stability is reached becomes paramount in apple cultivar identification, and authentication in commerce. Twelve apple cultivars were sampled at regular intervals from anthesis to harvest

The root is the primary sensing organ for potassium (K) and water availability and thus we test the hypothesis that K may influence root architecture and contribute to drought tolerance under moisture stress. Rice seedlings failed to maintained favourable root architecture with low K under water stress and more reduction was observed in root projected area, maximum width, width to depth ratio. High

Plants recognize surrounding microbes by sensing microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) to activate pattern-triggered immunity (PTI). Despite their significance for microbial control, the evolution of PTI responses remains largely uncharacterized. Employing comparative transcriptomics of six Arabidopsis thaliana accessions and three additional Brassicaceae species for PTI responses to the MAMP

Nicotiana benthamiana is used extensively as a platform for transient gene expression and as a model system for studying plant-virus interactions. However, many tobacco-feeding insects, e.g. Myzus persicae (green peach aphids) and Bemisia tabaci (whiteflies), grow poorly on N. benthamiana, limiting its utility for research on plant-insect interactions. Using CRISPR/Cas9, we generated knockout mutations

Miscanthus is a commercial lignocellulosic biomass crop owing to its high biomass productivity and low chemical input requirements. Interspecific Miscanthus hybrids with high biomass yield were shown to have low concentrations of starch and sucrose but high concentrations of fructose. We performed a transcriptional RNA-seq analysis between selected Miscanthus hybrids with contrasting values for these

Knowledge about the length of xylem vessels is essential to understand water transport in plants because these multicellular units show a 100-fold variation, from less than a centimeter to many meters. However, the available methods to estimate vessel length distribution (VLD) are excessively time consuming and do not allow large and in-depth surveys. Here, we describe a semi-automated method to measure

Plant immunity against pathogens and pests is comprised of complex mechanisms orchestrated by signaling pathways regulated by plant hormones [Salicylic acid (SA) and Jasmonic acid (JA)]. Investigations of plant immune response to phytopathogens and phloem-feeders have revealed that SA plays a critical role in reprogramming of the activity and/or localization of transcriptional regulators via post-translational

Carbon and water relations are fundamental to plant life and strongly interact. Under drought, the ability of plants to assimilate carbon is reduced, which increases their consumption of stored labile carbon in the form of non-structural carbohydrates (NSC). Stored NSC depletion may impair plant water relations, but mechanisms are not clear, and we do not know if its effects are independent of water

Edible banana cultivars are diploid, triploid or tetraploid hybrids which originated by natural cross hybridization between subspecies of diploid Musa acuminata, or between M. acuminata and diploid M. balbisiana. Participation of two other wild diploid species M. schizocarpa and M. textilis was also indicated by molecular studies. Fusion of gametes with structurally different chromosome sets may give

Huanglongbing (HLB) is the most devastating and widespread citrus disease. All commercial citrus varieties are susceptible to the HLB-associated bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas), which resides in the phloem. The phloem is part of the plant vascular system and is involved in sugar transport. To investigate the plant response to CLas, we enriched for proteins surrounding the phloem

Plants acclimate their photosynthetic capacity in response to changing environmental conditions. In Arabidopsis thaliana, photosynthetic acclimation to cold requires the accumulation of the organic acid fumarate, catalysed by a cytosolic fumarase FUM2, however the role of this is currently unclear. In this study, we use an integrated experimental and modelling approach to examine the role of FUM2 and

Under anaerobic stress Arabidopsis thaliana induces the expression of a collection of core hypoxia genes that encode proteins associated with an adaptive response. Included in these core hypoxia genes is NIP2;1, which encodes a member of the "Nodulin-like Intrinsic Protein" (NIP) subgroup of the aquaporin superfamily of membrane channel proteins. Under normal growth, NIP2;1 expression is limited to

While Arabidopsis seed coat epidermal cells have become an excellent genetic system to study the biosynthesis and structural roles of various cell wall polymers, the physiological function of the secreted mucilaginous polysaccharides remains ambiguous. Seed mucilage is shaped by two distinct classes of highly substituted hemicelluloses along with cellulose and structural proteins, but their interplay

Abnormally altered precipitation patterns induced by climate change have profound global effects on crop production. However, the plant functional responses to various precipitation regimes remain unclear. Here, greenhouse and field experiments were conducted to determine how maize plant functional traits respond to drought, flooding, and rewatering. Drought and flooding hampered photosynthetic capacity

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), which belongs to the large Asteraceae (Compositae) family, breeds by sexual reproduction and produce seeds. Actually, lettuce seeds are achenes, which are defined as fruits. However, few studies have described the morphological characteristics of the lettuce achenes, and genes essential for achene development are largely unknown in lettuce. To investigate the gene activity

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are ubiquitous in cultivated soils, forming symbiotic relationships with the roots of major crop species. Although studies in controlled conditions have demonstrated the potential of the symbiosis to enhance host plant nutrition and alleviate environmental stress, practical difficulties make it hard to estimate the actual benefit in cultivated fields, not least because

The tribe Plantagineae (Lamiales) is a group of plants with worldwide distribution, notorious for its complicated taxonomy, still unresolved natural history, and a trend of morphologic reduction and simplification. This tribe includes the plantains (Plantago), the small aquatic Littorella, and the northern Andean shrubs Aragoa. Some Plantago lineages exhibit remarkably high diversification rates, which

Plants circumscribe microbe-associated molecular pattern (MAMP)-triggered immune responses to weak points of the roots. This spatially restricted immunity was suggested to avoid constitutive responses to rhizosphere microbiota. To demonstrate its relevance, we combined cell-type specific expression of the plant flagellin receptor (FLS2) with fluorescent defence markers and mapped immune competency

HPLC methods for profiling and estimation of withanolide in Withania have been developed to study seasonal, geographical and genetic variation in WithaferinA content and identify chemotypes. Highest withanolide content was observed during the vegetative phase and slight decrease was observed during reproductive phase. However, the content drastically reduced at the maturity. No significant effect of

Plants use a variety of hormonal and peptide signals to control root development, including in adapting root development to cope with nutrient stress. Nitrogen (N) is a major limiting factor in plant growth and in response to N stress plants dramatically modulate root development, including in legumes influencing the formation of N-fixing nodules in response to external N supply. Recently, specific

One rate-limiting factor in the fight against illegal logging is the lack of powerful, affordable, scalable wood identification tools for field screening. Computer vision wood identification using smartphones fitted with customized imaging peripherals offer a potential solution but to date, such peripherals suffer from one or more weaknesses: low image quality, lack of lighting control, uncontrolled

Mitochondria in animals are associated with development, as well as physiological and pathological behaviors. Several conserved mitochondrial genes exist between plants and higher eukaryotes. Yet, comparative mitochondrial function among plant and animal species is poorly understood. Here, we show that FMT (FRIENDLY MITOCHONDRIA) from Arabidopsis thaliana, a highly conserved homolog of the mammalian

Background: A diet rich in cruciferous vegetables is reported to have beneficial health effects, partially mediated by 4-methylsulfinylbutyl glucosinolate, or glucoraphanin, which is predominantly found within broccoli (Brassica oleracea var italica). We describe the downstream effects on transcription and metabolism in broccoli following the introgression of a genetic variant of MYB28 into broccoli

Rapid adaptation of plants to developmental or physiological cues is facilitated by specific receptors that transduce the signals mostly via post-translational modification (PTM) cascades of downstream partners. Reversible covalent attachment of SMALL UBIQUITIN-LIKE MODIFIER (SUMO), a process termed as SUMOylation, influence growth, development and adaptation of plants to various stresses. Strong regulatory

Legume plants form a symbiosis with N2-fixing soil rhizobia, resulting in new root organs called nodules that enable N2-fixation. Nodulation is a costly process that is tightly regulated by the host through Autoregulation of Nodulation (AON) and nitrate-dependent regulation of nodulation. Both pathways require legume-specific CLAVATA/ESR-related (CLE) peptides. Nitrogen-induced nodulation-suppressing

The plant UV-B photoreceptor UVR8 plays an important role in UV-B acclimation and survival. UV-B absorption by homodimeric UVR8 induces its monomerization and interaction with the E3 ubiquitin ligase COP1, leading ultimately to gene expression changes. UVR8 is inactivated through redimerization, facilitated by RUP1 and RUP2. Here, we describe a novel semi-dominant, hyperactive allele, namely uvr8-17D

Inflorescence architecture in cereal crops directly impacts yield potential through regulation of seed number and harvesting ability. Extensive architectural diversity found in inflorescences of grass species is due to spatial and temporal activity and determinacy of meristems, which control the number and arrangement of branches and flowers, and underlie plasticity. Timing of the floral transition

BACKGROUND: Monitoring resistance to Plant Protection Products (PPPs) is crucial for understanding the evolution of resistances in bioagressors, thereby allowing scientists to design sound bioagressor management strategies. Globally, resistance monitoring is implemented by a wide range of actors that fall into three distinct categories: academic, governmental, and private. The purpose of this study

Expansins facilitate cell expansion via mediating pH-dependent cell wall (CW) loosening. However, the role of expansins in the control of biomechanical CW properties in the tissue and organ context remains elusive. We determined hormonal responsiveness and specificity of expression and localization of expansins predicted to be direct targets of cytokinin signalling. We found EXPA1 homogenously distributed

An efficient foraging strategy for plant roots relies on the ability to sense multiple physical and chemical cues in soil and to reorient growth accordingly (tropism). Root tropisms range from sensing gravity (gravitropism), light (phototropism), water (hydrotropism), touch (thigmotropism) and more. Electrotropism, also known as galvanotropism, is the phenomenon of aligning growth with external electric

Phytochrome-mediated light and temperature perception has been shown to be a major regulator of fruit development. Furthermore, chromatin remodelling via DNA demethylation has been described as a crucial mechanism behind the fruit ripening process; however, the molecular basis underlying the triggering of this epigenetic modification remains largely unknown. Here, through integrative analyses of the

Plant tropism refers to the directed movement of an organ or organism in response to external stimuli. Typically, these stimuli induce hormone transport that triggers cell growth or deformation. In turn, these local cellular changes create mechanical forces on the plant tissue that are balanced by an overall deformation of the organ, hence changing its orientation with respect to the stimuli. This

The gynoecium is the most complex organ formed by the flowering plants. It encloses the ovules, provides a surface for pollen contact and self-incompatibility reactions, allows pollen tube growth and, post fertilization, and develops into the fruit. Consequently, the regulation of gynoecium morphogenesis is complex and appropriate timing of this process in part determines reproductive success. However

Plant growth promoting bacteria (PGPB) are a growing subset of agricultural adjuncts which can be used to increase crop yield and plant productivity. Although substantial research has been conducted on the metabolites and active molecules secreted by PGPBs, relatively little is known about their effects on the global transcriptome of the host plant. The present study was carried out to investigate

Mitochondrial biology is underpinned by the presence and activity of large protein complexes participating in the organelle-located parts of cellular respiration, the TCA cycle and oxidative phosphorylation. While the enzymatic roles of these complexes are undisputed, little is known about the interactions of the subunits beyond their presence in the monomeric protein complexes and their functions

Sexual reproduction in multicellular organisms requires the separation of the germline from the soma. In flowering plants, the formation of spore mother cells (SMCs) marks the somatic-to-reproductive cell fate transition in floral organs. The female SMC differentiates at the apex of the ovule primordium, as a single, large, and elongated subepidermal cell. However, this singleness rule is not very

In temperate trees, optimal timing and quality of flowering directly depend on adequate winter dormancy progression, regulated by a combination of chilling and warm temperatures. Physiological, genetic and functional genomic studies have shown that hormones play a key role in bud dormancy establishment, maintenance and release. We combined physiological, transcriptional analyses, quantification of

Tiller formation is a key agronomic determinant for grain yield in cereal crops. The modulation of this trait is controlled by transcriptional regulators and plant hormones, tightly regulated by external environmental conditions. While endogenous (genetics) and exogenous (environmental factors) triggers for tiller formation have mostly been investigated separately, it has remained elusive how they

Postemergence grass weed control continues to be a big challenge in grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench), primarily due to a lack of herbicide options registered for use in this crop. The development of herbicide-resistant sorghum technology to facilitate broad-spectrum postemergence weed control is an economical and viable solution. The 4- hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase-inhibitor herbicides

Arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis is a mutualistic interaction between most land plants and fungi of the glomeromycotina subphylum. The initiation, development and regulation of this symbiosis involve numerous signalling events between and within the symbiotic partners. Among other signals, phytohormones are known to play important roles at various stages of the interaction. During presymbiotic steps

Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) plays a crucial role in gluconeogenesis. In this work, we analyze the proteolysis of Arabidopsis thaliana PEPCK1 (AthPEPCK1) in germinating seedlings. We found that expression of AthPEPCK1 peaks at 24-48 hours post-imbibition. Concomitantly, we observed shorter versions of AthPEPCK1, putatively generated by metacaspase-9 (AthMC9). To study the impact of AthMC9

Improving the efficiency of crop photosynthesis has the potential to increase yields. Genetic manipulation showed photosynthesis can be improved in Tobacco by speeding up relaxation of photoprotective mechanisms, known as non-photochemical quenching (NPQ), during high to low light transitions. However, it is unclear if natural variation in NPQ relaxation can be exploited in crop breeding programs.

Witchweed, or Striga hermonthica, is a parasitic weed that destroys billions of dollars worth of crops globally every year. Its germination is stimulated by strigolactones exuded by its host plants. Despite high sequence, structure, and ligand binding site conservation across different plant species, one strigolactone receptor in witchweed (ShHTL7) uniquely exhibits a picomolar EC50 for downstream

Global warming exhibits profound effects on plant fitness and productivity. To withstand stress, plants sacrifice their growth and activate protective stress responses for ensuring survival. However, the switch between growth and stress is largely elusive. In the past decade, emerging role of Target of Rapamycin (TOR) has been studied linking energy and stress signaling. Here, we have identified an

Mechanical failure, known as lodging, negatively impacts yield and grain quality in crops. Limiting crop loss from lodging requires an understanding of the plant traits that contribute to lodging-resistance. In maize, specialized aerial brace roots are reported to reduce root lodging. However, their direct contribution to plant biomechanics has not been measured. In this manuscript, we find that brace

The R2R3-MYB genes comprise one of the largest transcription factor gene families in plants, playing regulatory roles in plant-specific developmental processes, defense responses and metabolite accumulation. To date MYB family genes have not yet been comprehensively identified in the major staple fruit crop banana. In this study, we present a comprehensive, genome-wide analysis of the MYB genes from