A multidisciplinary study has identified a novel biofilm regulatory protein called Biofilm Architecture Regulator (BatR) and its role in Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections. The discovery may lead to new targets for anti-infective treatments, including those for people with cystic fibrosis.
A recent study found that wild snapdragons use subtle shades to attract bees, with four paintbrush genes working together to create a gradient of yellow. The strength of natural selection on each gene was estimated using a hybrid zone where two varieties meet, revealing the intricate mechanisms behind molecular gradients.
A study by John Innes Centre researchers reveals that inner tissues play a crucial role in shaping plant organs, contradicting the widespread assumption that external layers control growth. By analyzing cell division orientation and gene editing techniques, they discovered genes affecting stem thickness in Arabidopsis.
Scientists have grown wheat containing super-sized starch granules, which could lead to healthier pasta and bread. The discovery has potential applications in various industries, including flour milling, paper making, and pharmaceuticals.
Research reveals bacteria rely on circadian clocks to organize colonies, controlling gene expression and pattern formation. The discovery has important implications for understanding bacterial ecology and improving plant growth.
Researchers at John Innes Centre develop rapid seed germination protocol, reducing Ash dieback's impact. This new method has already produced over 2,000 seedlings for trials and research.
Researchers at the John Innes Centre discovered a three-gene control hub that enables bacteria to share genes linked to antibiotic resistance. The study found that this mechanism is controlled by a bacterial immune system, which has been repurposed to release gene transfer agents.
Researchers used aeroponic technology to grow pea shoots fortified with Vitamin B12, delivering the recommended daily allowance in a single serving. The fortified crop maintained shelf-life and persisted through cold storage, offering a commercially viable approach to dietary supplementation.
A new strain of yellow rust pathogen has broken down a key resistance gene, leaving over 50% of the UK's wheat acreage vulnerable. Researchers are racing against time to find new resistance genes and breed them into modern wheat varieties.
The John Innes Centre has been awarded £21.5m in funding to support four precision breeding projects, aiming to reduce emissions and strengthen crop resilience. These projects will help protect two major agricultural crops from diseases, enhance the nutritional content of tomatoes, and develop sustainable sources of rubber.
Researchers at John Innes Centre and Earlham Institute developed a powerful single-cell visualisation technique to understand wheat spike development. The study reveals distinct expression patterns across spikes, shedding light on why basal spikelets fail to achieve full size.
A roundtable meeting in Morocco brought together experts to discuss precision breeding technologies for nutritional security and crop resilience. Precision breeding offers a targeted approach to improve crop genetics, addressing malnutrition and climate change impacts.
Researchers found that a single synonymous mutation in a gene drives cucumber elongation by altering RNA structure and function. This breakthrough has significant implications for crop breeding programs and may lead to the development of precision-crop improvement techniques.
A study found that bumblebees are twice as likely to visit yellow flowers compared to red ones, with increased scent emission being a key factor. However, the shape of the flowers presented problems for bees, hindering efficient pollen transfer.
Researchers have mapped the diversity of a globally important pea collection, revealing secrets behind Mendel's famous traits and uncovering agriculturally useful genetic diversity. The new set of gene bank and genomic resources could revolutionize pea breeding and research.
Professor Uauy brings extensive experience in wheat genetic research and genomics to lead the institute's ambition to deliver Healthy Plants, Healthy People, Healthy Planet. His vision for plant science will ensure global agricultural challenges are addressed through interdisciplinary science.
Researchers have discovered a complex mechanism that allows bacteria to build resistance to antibiotics, involving a KorB-KorA regulatory system. This finding offers a fresh insight into long-range gene silencing in bacteria and provides a potential target for novel therapeutics.
Researchers at John Innes Centre have discovered a biological mechanism that enhances partnerships between plant roots and soil microbes, increasing nutrient uptake. This finding holds great potential for advancing sustainable agriculture by reducing the need for inorganic fertilizers.
A new study finds that disease-causing bacteria can infect a wide range of plant species, including non-flowering plants, using a common set of pathogenicity factors. The research suggests that the toxin syringomycin interferes with cell membranes across diverse plant species.
A pioneering AI model has been developed to understand the genetic 'language' of plants, allowing for precise predictions about RNA functions and identification of functional patterns. This breakthrough has significant implications for crop improvement and the next generation of AI-based gene design.
Researchers have shed new light on gene expression by visualizing ribosomes in unprecedented detail. The study reveals a molecular mechanism for mRNA delivery to the ribosome, advancing our understanding of gene expression at the molecular level.
The John Innes Centre, LMU Munich, and Leiden University have secured €8.3m in funding to study circadian rhythms in non-photosynthetic bacteria, which could have significant implications for human health and the environment. The project aims to understand the properties and ecology of biological clocks across a new kingdom of life.
A new chromosome-scale reference genome of grass pea has been published, improving on earlier draft assemblies and offering potential for climate-smart agriculture. The updated genome allows for improved breeding and gene editing to develop varieties with improved agronomic characteristics or low toxin content.
Researchers found that bacteria can anticipate the arrival of new seasons by using their internal 24-hour clocks. Samples exposed to short days showed significantly higher survival rates when plunged into ice, indicating that photoperiodism is critical in preparing bacteria for longer-term environmental changes.
A recent study published in PNAS explores how plants combine clock signals with environmental cues under naturally fluctuating conditions. The research team developed statistical models that accurately predict gene expression activity under control of circadian clock responses to environmental signals.
A study by the Open Wild Wheat Consortium explains how Aegilops tauschii, a wild grass, contributed to the genetic diversity of bread wheat, enabling its rapid spread across different climates. This hybridization event allowed humans to settle down and form societies.
Non-flowering bryophytes, including mosses, have sophisticated immune receptor repertoires that can be transferred between flowering and non-flowering plants. This discovery offers a new source of resistance genes against pathogens for major crops facing climate change threats.
Researchers have identified a potent and unique way to kill drug-resistant bacteria using a repurposed compound called LEI-800. The compound targets the bacterial enzyme DNA gyrase, which is essential for bacterial growth and has not been targeted by existing antibiotics.
Researchers have discovered a new source of resistance to the devastating wheat blast disease, leveraging a gene that also protects against powdery mildew. The Pm4 gene, found in European wheat varieties, confers dual protection against the pathogen and its effector molecule AVR-Rmg8.
A decade-long study has discovered a vast untapped genetic potential in modern wheat varieties, revealing that at least 60% of the genetic diversity found in a historic collection is unused. This discovery provides an unprecedented opportunity to improve modern wheat and sustainably feed a growing global population. The study used a cr...
Researchers at John Innes Centre used cryo-EM to visualize the structural architecture of chloroplast RNA polymerase and build a detailed atomic model. The study reveals new insights into transcription, a fundamental step in making photosynthetic proteins, and how these proteins interact with DNA and mRNA.
A recent study published in Nature Plants reveals that O-glycosylation of the transcription factor SPATULA promotes Arabidopsis style development. The experimental study sheds new light on the mechanisms underlying plant organ symmetry.
Scientists have successfully replicated QS-21, a potent vaccine adjuvant, in an alternative plant host for the first time. This breakthrough enables the production of this highly valued compound in a more sustainable manner.
Yiliang Ding's pioneering work on RNA structure and function has led to breakthroughs in plant virus treatment, increasing structural understanding of this crucial molecule. Her award-winning research has the potential to drive scientific innovation in agriculture and human health.
Researchers have uncovered the intricate molecular mechanism used by parasitic phytoplasma bacteria to manipulate plants. The discovery sheds light on a peculiar phenomenon in nature, where plants exhibit 'zombie-like' effects due to bacterial infection.
A recent study in Nature Communications has identified a gene cluster in wheat that produces triticein, an isoflavone compound with potential health benefits. This discovery offers opportunities for metabolic engineering efforts to improve wheat's nutritional quality and resistance to disease.
Researchers identified genetic mutations in peas that enable high iron accumulation, opening doors for biofortification of staple crops like wheat and barley. This breakthrough has the potential to reduce iron deficiency anaemia globally.
Research has clarified how starch granules form in wheat seeds, unlocking diverse potential benefits for various industries. The discovery of the enzyme PHS1 crucial for B-type granule initiation offers opportunities to create variations in starch for different food and industrial applications.
A recent study discovered the complex circadian clock mechanisms in soil bacteria Bacillus subtilis, regulating multiple genes and behaviors. The findings have significant implications for industrial applications, human health, and plant science.
A study by John Innes Centre researchers has revealed how plants avoid cracking under stress by using a growth hormone called brassinosteroid to loosen the straitjacket effect on their skin. The findings, published in Science, have implications for our understanding of plant development and potentially improve crop yields.
A new hub for plant and microbial science will be built in Norwich, UK, with £317.7 million investment from the UKRI Infrastructure Fund. The facility aims to deliver sustainable food solutions, improve human health, and reduce climate change impact.
Researchers discovered a plant biological clock-regulated mechanism that helps plants tolerate cold temperatures and damage from bright light. The mechanism, controlled by the SIG5 gene, signals proteins in chloroplasts to protect against environmental stress, potentially improving crop resilience for colder climates.
Researchers have discovered a new pathway to produce saponin-based vaccine adjuvants using the genome of the Chilean soapbark tree. This breakthrough could lead to more potent and affordable vaccines, with potential applications in COVID-19, shingles, and malaria prevention.
Researchers used AgRenSeq genomic discovery method to identify two genes protecting experimental wheat plants against wheat blast. The study highlights the power of heritage wheat varieties and wild grass relatives in providing disease-fighting diversity.
Researchers have discovered a way to produce limonoids, a family of valuable chemicals with potential as bee-friendly insecticides and anti-cancer drugs. By identifying the enzymes required for production, they can now use host organisms to create these compounds in a more sustainable way.
A potent plant toxin called albicidin has emerged as a strong new antibiotic candidate, effective in small concentrations and highly potent against pathogenic bacteria. Its unique mechanism targets the bacterial enzyme DNA gyrase, which is essential for cell function.
Researchers have identified the genetic secrets behind skullcap's anti-cancer activity, enabling the production of synthetic compounds. The discovery is expected to lead to more sustainable and rapid synthesis of cancer-fighting molecules.
Researchers have discovered a new height-reducing gene, Rht13, which enables reduced-height wheat varieties to be planted deeper in dry conditions without seedling emergence issues. This breakthrough could lead to more climate-resilient wheat and improved yields.
Researchers at John Innes Centre discovered a mechanism of flowering plant sperm compaction using histone protein H2B.8. This mechanism allows for moderate nuclear condensation without compromising gene activity, essential for immotile sperm and pollen tube travel.
Researchers at John Innes Centre found that amino acid waves, not calcium waves, mediate plant responses to stress. Glutamate released from wounds triggers a wave of calcium responses in plant tissues.