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| Open AccessInositol pyrophosphates promote the interaction of SPX domains with the coiled-coil motif of PHR transcription factors to regulate plant phosphate homeostasis
Plants regulate phosphate homeostasis via the interaction of PHR transcription factors with SPX receptors bound to inositol pyrophosphate signaling molecules. Here the authors show that inositol pyrophosphate-bound SPX interacts with the coiled-coil domain of PHR, which regulates the oligomerization and activity of the transcription factor.
- Martina K. Ried
- , Rebekka Wild
- & Michael Hothorn
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Article
| Open AccessA grass-specific cellulose–xylan interaction dominates in sorghum secondary cell walls
Sorghum is a source of lignocellulosic biomass for the production of renewable fuels. Here the authors characterise the sorghum secondary cell wall using multi-dimensional magic angle spinning solid-state NMR and present a model dominated by interactions between three-fold screw xylan and amorphous cellulose.
- Yu Gao
- , Andrew S. Lipton
- & Jenny C. Mortimer
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| Open AccessA trimeric CrRLK1L-LLG1 complex genetically modulates SUMM2-mediated autoimmunity
MAPK signaling suppresses autoimmunity mediated by the SUMM2 receptor in Arabidopsis. Here Huang et al. show that a trimeric complex consisting of the GPI anchored protein LLG1, and the two receptor-like proteins LET1 and LET2, promotes activation of SUMM2 according to MAPK signaling status.
- Yanyan Huang
- , Chuanchun Yin
- & Ping He
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Article
| Open AccessWood hemicelluloses exert distinct biomechanical contributions to cellulose fibrillar networks
Hemicelluloses are an essential constituent of plant cell walls, but the individual biomechanical roles remain elusive. Here the authors report on the interaction of wood hemicellulose with bacterial cellulose during deposition and explore the resultant fibrillar architecture and mechanical properties.
- Jennie Berglund
- , Deirdre Mikkelsen
- & Francisco Vilaplana
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| Open AccessPost-translational coordination of chlorophyll biosynthesis and breakdown by BCMs maintains chlorophyll homeostasis during leaf development
Plants regulate chlorophyll levels to optimise photosynthesis. Here Wang et al. describe two paralogous thylakoid proteins, BCM1 and BCM2, which stimulate chlorophyll biosynthesis and attenuate chlorophyll degradation respectively through interaction with the Mg-chelatase-stimulating factor GUN4 and Mg-dechelatase isoform SGR1.
- Peng Wang
- , Andreas S. Richter
- & Bernhard Grimm
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Article
| Open AccessPlant Raf-like kinases regulate the mRNA population upstream of ABA-unresponsive SnRK2 kinases under drought stress
SnRK2 protein kinases play key roles in signaling during plant responses to abiotic stress. Here Soma et al. report three Arabidopsis Raf-like MAP kinase kinase kinases phosphorylate and activate a subclass of SnRK2s that rapidly respond to osmotic stress independently of ABA signaling.
- Fumiyuki Soma
- , Fuminori Takahashi
- & Kazuko Yamaguchi-Shinozaki
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| Open AccessShoot-to-root mobile CEPD-like 2 integrates shoot nitrogen status to systemically regulate nitrate uptake in Arabidopsis
Plants regulate nitrate uptake in roots to meet nitrogen demand in shoots. Here Ota et al. identify CEPDL2, a polypeptide that is induced during nitrogen deficiency in leaves, and show that it moves via the phloem to promote high-affinity nitrate uptake and root-to-shoot nitrate transport.
- Ryosuke Ota
- , Yuri Ohkubo
- & Yoshikatsu Matsubayashi
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Article
| Open AccessMikania micrantha genome provides insights into the molecular mechanism of rapid growth
Mikania micrantha is an extremely fast-growing invasive plant species that can cause serious damage to natural ecosystems. Here, the authors assemble its chromosome-scale reference genome and explore possible mechanisms that contribute to its rapid growth.
- Bo Liu
- , Jian Yan
- & Fanghao Wan
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| Open AccessIn vivo pressure gradient heterogeneity increases flow contribution of small diameter vessels in grapevine
Plants require long-distance water transport to avoid desiccation. Here, via μCT and MRI of grapevine stem, Bouda et al. show evidence of pressure gradient heterogeneity and flow redirection from wide to narrow vessels that suggests narrow vessels contribute more to xylem sap flow than previously appreciated.
- Martin Bouda
- , Carel W. Windt
- & Craig R. Brodersen
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Article
| Open AccessGSNOR provides plant tolerance to iron toxicity via preventing iron-dependent nitrosative and oxidative cytotoxicity
How plants deal with iron toxicity is still unclear. Here, the authors reveal that S-nitrosoglutathione-reductase (GSNOR) provides tolerance to iron toxicity by preventing iron-dependent nitrosative and oxidative cytotoxicity in Arabidopsis, legumes, and rice.
- Baohai Li
- , Li Sun
- & Wolfgang Busch
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Article
| Open AccessRainfall drives variation in rates of change in intrinsic water use efficiency of tropical forests
How the water use efficiency of trees changes with atmospheric CO2 variations has mostly been studied on short time scales. Here, a newly compiled data set covering 1915 to 1995 shows how rates of change in water use efficiency vary with location and rainfall over the global tropics on a decadal scale.
- Mark A. Adams
- , Thomas N. Buckley
- & Tarryn L. Turnbull
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| Open AccessA stomatal safety-efficiency trade-off constrains responses to leaf dehydration
Stomata enable gas exchange for photosynthesis but close to promote survival during drought. Here, Henry et al. provide evidence for a safety-efficiency trade-off whereby plants with greater stomatal conductance under well-watered conditions are more sensitive to stomatal closure during dehydration.
- Christian Henry
- , Grace P. John
- & Lawren Sack
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| Open AccessMesophyll porosity is modulated by the presence of functional stomata
Gas exchange for photosynthesis occurs via stomata on the leaf surface and the airspace in the underlying mesophyll tissue. Here, the authors show that stomatal function modulates mesophyll airspace formation and that their coordinated development influences water use efficiency in crops
- Marjorie R. Lundgren
- , Andrew Mathers
- & Andrew J. Fleming
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| Open AccessA genetic network mediating the control of bud break in hybrid aspen
Molecular mechanism of how temperature-mediated control of bud break in perennial plants remains unclear. Here, the author show that transcriptional factor SHORT VEGETATIVE PHASE-LIKE and its downstream target TCP18 are negative regulators of hybrid aspen bud break.
- Rajesh Kumar Singh
- , Jay P. Maurya
- & Rishikesh P. Bhalerao
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| Open AccessRETRACTED ARTICLE: Sulfur availability regulates plant growth via glucose-TOR signaling
Plants lack the amino acid sensors that regulate TOR in metazoans. Here Dong et al. show that Arabidopsis GCN2 senses carbon and nitrogen availability for cysteine synthesis while sulfur limitation activates TOR via glucose metabolism, providing a mechanism whereby plants control growth according to nutrient availability.
- Yihan Dong
- , Marleen Silbermann
- & Markus Wirtz
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Article
| Open AccessThe transcriptional repressor complex FRS7-FRS12 regulates flowering time and growth in Arabidopsis
The plant circadian clock regulates numerous developmental processes such as seasonal growth and flowering time. Here Ritteret al. identify two transcription factors, FRS7 and FRS12, which interact to form a repressor complex that regulates clock output partially by controlling the expression of GIGANTEA and PIF4.
- Andrés Ritter
- , Sabrina Iñigo
- & Alain Goossens
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| Open AccessPlant cysteine oxidases are dioxygenases that directly enable arginyl transferase-catalysed arginylation of N-end rule targets
The N-end rule pathway targets substrate proteins for proteasomal degradation. Here, Whiteet al. show that ArabidopsisPLANT CYSTEINE OXIDASEs show dioxygenase activity producing Cys-sulfinic acid at the N-terminus of target proteins, which then act as direct substrates for arginyl transferase.
- Mark D. White
- , Maria Klecker
- & Emily Flashman
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| Open AccessAtSWEET13 and AtSWEET14 regulate gibberellin-mediated physiological processes
SWEET proteins are known to function as sugar transporters. Here, Kannoet al. show that Arabidopsis SWEET13 and SWEET14 are also able to transport the plant hormone gibberellin (GA) in heterologous systems and that sweetmutants display phenotypes consistent with altered GA response.
- Yuri Kanno
- , Takaya Oikawa
- & Mitsunori Seo
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| Open AccessDetoxification of hostplant’s chemical defence rather than its anti-predator co-option drives β-glucosidase-mediated lepidopteran counteradaptation
During herbivory, deglycosylation of glycosylated phytochemicals may release aglycones which can be toxic when ingested. Here, Poreddy et al. show that ß-glucosidase in the tobacco hornworm midgut converts a toxic glycoside to a non-toxic form, a process which is crucial for larval development.
- Spoorthi Poreddy
- , Sirsha Mitra
- & Sagar S. Pandit
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| Open AccessGABA signalling modulates plant growth by directly regulating the activity of plant-specific anion transporters
GABA is an important neurotransmitter in animals, and while it accumulates in plants under stress, its potential role in plant signalling was poorly understood. Here, Rameshet al. show that GABA rapidly alters the activity of plant ALMT anion channels modifying root growth and stress tolerance.
- Sunita A. Ramesh
- , Stephen D. Tyerman
- & Matthew Gilliham
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| Open AccessPhytochrome diversity in green plants and the origin of canonical plant phytochromes
Phytochromes are red-light photoreceptors in plants that regulate key life cycle processes, yet their evolutionary origins are not well understood. Using transcriptomic and genomic data, Li et al.find that canonical plant phytochromes originated in a common ancestor of land plants and charophyte algae.
- Fay-Wei Li
- , Michael Melkonian
- & Sarah Mathews
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A phospholipid uptake system in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana
P4-type ATPases flip lipids from one side of a membrane to the other. Here Poulsen et al. show that ALA10, a P4 ATPase from Arabidopsis thaliana, internalizes phospholipids from the outside of plant cells and suggest that this uptake may be physiologically important for lipid signalling events.
- Lisbeth R. Poulsen
- , Rosa L. López-Marqués
- & Michael Palmgren
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Arabidopsis AZI1 family proteins mediate signal mobilization for systemic defence priming
Azelaic acid (AZA) is a mobile signal that is thought to induce defence responses in plants in tissues distal from the initial infection site. Here, Cecchiniet al. propose that AZI1, a plastid-targeted lipid transfer protein that is necessary for the movement and priming functions of AZA.
- Nicolás M. Cecchini
- , Kevin Steffes
- & Jean T. Greenberg
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Article
| Open AccessHyperdominance in Amazonian forest carbon cycling
The Amazon rainforest is dominated by relatively few tree species, yet the degree to which this hyperdominance influences carbon cycling remains unknown. Here, the authors analyse 530 forest plots and show that ∼1% of species are responsible for 50% of the aboveground carbon storage and productivity.
- Sophie Fauset
- , Michelle O. Johnson
- & Oliver L. Phillips
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Article
| Open AccessArabidopsis uses two gluconeogenic gateways for organic acids to fuel seedling establishment
During seed germination plants use gluconeogenesis to mobilize noncarbohydrate energy reserves. Here Eastmond et al. show that plants, unlike other eukaryotes, do not solely rely on a gluconeogenic pathway via the enzyme PCK but also use a second pathway relying on PPDK.
- Peter J. Eastmond
- , Holly M. Astley
- & Julian M. Hibberd
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Article
| Open AccessThermogenesis-triggered seed dispersal in dwarf mistletoe
Lodgepole pine dwarf mistletoe is a parasitic forest pathogen that disperses its seeds via an explosive discharge. Here, deBruyn et al. show that ripened mistletoe fruits generate heat less than two minutes before this discharge, suggesting a role for thermogenesis in seed dispersal.
- Rolena A. J. deBruyn
- , Mark Paetkau
- & Cynthia Ross Friedman
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| Open AccessIon antiport accelerates photosynthetic acclimation in fluctuating light environments
Plants must respond rapidly to unpredictable variations in light intensity to maximize photosynthetic efficiency. Here Armbruster et al.identify a potassium antiporter that is critical for accelerating proton fluxes across thylakoid membranes and minimizing energy loss in fluctuating light conditions.
- Ute Armbruster
- , L. Ruby Carrillo
- & Martin C. Jonikas
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Natural occurring epialleles determine vitamin E accumulation in tomato fruits
Selecting for varieties of commercial crops with enhanced nutritional quality is important in agriculture. Here, the authors identify alleles of a gene in tomatoes that give rise to increased levels of vitamin E and find that the promoter of the gene is differentially methylated.
- Leandro Quadrana
- , Juliana Almeida
- & Fernando Carrari
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Article
| Open AccessThe seco-iridoid pathway from Catharanthus roseus
The (seco)iridoids and their monoterpenoid indole alkaloid (MIA) derivatives are plant-derived compounds with pharmaceutical applications. Here, the authors identify the last four missing steps of the (seco)iridoid pathway, which they reconstitute in an alternative plant host to produce the complex MIA, strictosidine.
- Karel Miettinen
- , Lemeng Dong
- & Danièle Werck-Reichhart
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Metabolic efficiency underpins performance trade-offs in growth of Arabidopsis thaliana
Resources are finite for living organisms; therefore, compromises are required when partitioning resources to different tasks. Here, the authors use the Pareto concept to show how a trade-off is achieved in terms of the performance and metabolic efficiency in a panel of 97 Arabidopsis thalianaaccessions.
- Sabrina Kleessen
- , Roosa Laitinen
- & Zoran Nikoloski
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A node-based switch for preferential distribution of manganese in rice
Mineral delivery to plant tissues must be tightly controlled to prevent tissue toxicity. Here, Yamaji et al. describe a manganese transporter in rice that delivers manganese to young leaves and panicles at low metal concentrations, while at high concentrations the metal is transported to older tissues due to rapid degradation of the transporter.
- Naoki Yamaji
- , Akimasa Sasaki
- & Jian Feng Ma
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Root-derived CLE glycopeptides control nodulation by direct binding to HAR1 receptor kinase
Symbiotic bacteria form nodules with plant roots and this is controlled by CLE-RS genes found in the plant. In this study, the CLE-RS2gene product is shown to be a glycopeptide that can travel from the roots to the shoot of plants and binds to the receptor kinase HAR1.
- Satoru Okamoto
- , Hidefumi Shinohara
- & Masayoshi Kawaguchi
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| Open AccessA Munc13-like protein in Arabidopsis mediates H+-ATPase translocation that is essential for stomatal responses
In plants, stomatal opening controls the uptake of carbon dioxide and water loss, and is controlled by an H+ATPase. This study reports the identification of PATROL1, a gene that controls the subcellular localisation of the H+ATPase, and is involved in the regulation of stomata.
- Mimi Hashimoto-Sugimoto
- , Takumi Higaki
- & Koh Iba
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| Open AccessAtALMT9 is a malate-activated vacuolar chloride channel required for stomatal opening in Arabidopsis
Aluminium-activated malate transporters are exclusive to plants, regulating the transport of ions across the membranes on which they are expressed. De Angeli and colleagues show that AtALMT9 acts as a vacuolar chloride channel that is activated by cytosolic malate, and that this regulates stomata aperture.
- Alexis De Angeli
- , Jingbo Zhang
- & Enrico Martinoia
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Nuclear retention of the transcription factor NLP7 orchestrates the early response to nitrate in plants
Nitrate is both an important nutrient and a signalling molecule crucial for plant life. Here Marchive et al. report that NLP7 acts as an upstream transcriptional regulator of plant early responses to nitrate through active exportation from the nucleus in absence of nitrate.
- Chloé Marchive
- , François Roudier
- & Anne Krapp
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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 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