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Scientists at Durham University have discovered a previously unknown way that plants control the formation of wood, opening up new avenues for research into plant growth, productivity and carbon storage.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), reveals that two proteins on the surface of plant cells work together to control the activity of cells that go on to form wood.
Wood makes up most of the biomass found on land and acts as one of the world's most important natural carbon stores. It is also a renewable material used in construction, manufacturing and many everyday products.
The research team found that two receptor proteins, which help plant cells sense and respond to their surroundings, form a complex on the cell surface.
This complex allows wood-producing precursor cells to divide, promoting the formation of new woody tissue.
Receptor proteins are known to play a vital role in helping cells interpret signals from their environment.
Traditionally, scientists have understood these proteins to work by recognising specific signalling molecules outside the cell. However, this new research shows that two different receptor proteins, which respond to different signals, can join together and act as a complex.
The discovery provides evidence for a previously unknown form of receptor regulation in plants and could change how scientists think about communication between plant cells.
Lead author of the study Dr Peter Etchells from Durham University's Department of Biosciences, said: “Plants are real masters of detecting and responding to signals. Because they can’t move, they must constantly detect and respond to signals from the environment or pathogens, in addition to the intrinsic cues that control development which we study.
“So we already knew that signalling in plants was complex, but it has been fantastic to uncover another layer of complexity.”
The findings are significant because they reveal a new way in which biological signalling can occur.
The researchers believe similar receptor complexes may exist elsewhere in plants, helping to regulate a wide range of important processes.
The work could also help researchers understand how plant productivity might be improved in the future. If scientists can learn how these receptor complexes influence growth, it may eventually be possible to harness them to increase wood production and other valuable crop traits.
The team will now investigate how the interaction between the two receptor proteins affects the signals each one sends within the cell. They also plan to explore whether similar receptor complexes are found in other plant species and whether manipulating these interactions could increase wood formation.
The research demonstrates for the first time that membrane-bound receptor proteins can form receptor to receptor complexes in plants, providing new insight into how plants perceive and respond to their environment.
ENDS
Media Information
Dr Peter Etchells from Durham University is available for interview and can be contacted on peter.etchells@durham.ac.uk .
Alternatively, please contact Durham University Communications Office for interview requests on communications.team@durham.ac.uk or +44 (0)191 334 8623.
Source
‘A receptor kinase complex refines cambium activity in Arabidopsis’, (2026), Peter Etchells et. al., Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).
Full paper can be accessed here: https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2532481123
Graphics
Associated images are available via the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/v576bfq7pb2ookatb8enu/AAjj5bnMA7rFBkpRfnDfs5Y?rlkey=ayv6d9h00gb3rde8bh773z5fc&st=6zxsscmc&dl=0
Caption: Image showing wood-forming tissue in Arabidopsis.
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Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences