A multidisciplinary team developed a computational pipeline called iSPy to quantify ploidy across tissues from microscopy images. This allows scientists to visualize and study polyploid cells directly in intact, living tissue, revealing spatial patterns of DNA content.
Researchers discovered how dogroses use larger centromeres to ensure unpaired chromosomes are passed on via the egg cell, enabling a unique reproductive system. This study provides new insights into plant genetics and could lead to more robust crops.
Scientists have developed MetaFlowTrain, a system that allows the study of metabolic exchange and interactions between microorganisms in complex environments. This innovation enables researchers to identify novel microbial exometabolites with bioactive or signalling properties.
Legumes have special root nodules that house friendly bacteria, which take nitrogen from the air and convert it into a form plants can use. The Casparian strip, a waterproof barrier in plant roots, develops at the same time as nodules and regulates nutrient exchange.
Researchers discovered that certain bacteria in commensal relationships with plants possess mechanisms to suppress plant immune responses, allowing them to thrive. This ability enables commensal bacteria to outcompete pathogens by avoiding recognition and allocation of resources towards defense.
A study reveals that salty soil conditions can facilitate disease in plants caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Pseudomonas brassicacearum R401. The researchers identified a phytotoxic metabolite, brassicapeptin, which is toxic to plants under salt stress and forms pores in plant membranes.
Researchers have developed a system to generate clonal sex cells in tomato plants, which they used to design the genomes of offspring. The resulting plants contain the complete genetic information of both parents, offering a potential solution to the labor-intensive and expensive process of producing hybrid seeds.
Researchers discovered that plant immune proteins condense into droplets to become activated and protect against infections. Phase separation plays a crucial role in the activation of TIR domain proteins, a class of important immune receptors.
A study published in Nature Plants reveals that chromosome pairing plays a crucial role in regulating genetic material distribution in plants. Researchers found that the telomeres, specifically located at the ends of chromosomes, are the key players in controlling crossing-over activity, which ensures genetic diversity among offspring.
Scientists have identified a core set of genes required by commensal bacteria to colonize plant hosts, enabling more efficient colonization and potential benefits for plant health. The discovery may lead to the development of beneficial bacteria for sustainable agriculture and medical applications.
A new study suggests that one branch of plant immunity evolved early during terrestrial evolution, enabling plants to establish themselves on dry land. The research found that pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) is conserved in non-vascular plants, such as liverwort Marchantia polymorpha.
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research have characterized the structures of several powdery mildew effectors, revealing a common scaffold that allows them to evade recognition by plant immune receptors. This discovery provides new insights into the molecular arms race between plants and fungal pathogens.
A study reveals that a bacterium produces two molecules to keep microbial competitors at bay, giving it an advantage in colonizing and dominating the root niche. This finding has implications for developing biologicals in agriculture and understanding the inner workings of the plant microbiota.
Researchers decode Sr35 wheat protein's structure and function, revealing its role in protecting Einkorn wheat from Ug99. The discovery provides a crucial tool for improving crop resistance and ensuring global food security.
Holocentric chromosomes have been found to promote rapid genome evolution by allowing the formation of new species through chromosome fusions. This non-classical mode of chromosome organization also stabilizes chromosomal fragments and facilitates DNA gene swapping, making it an exciting area for plant breeding.
Researchers at Max Planck Institute identified two classes of molecules boosting plant immunity. These compounds drive critical defense-control hubs and could be used as natural immunostimulants for crop diseases.
Scientists discovered a novel biochemical mechanism in which plant immune receptors defend plants against invading microorganisms. TIR domains of these receptors break down NAD+ and process RNA/DNA molecules, leading to the production of cyclic nucleotides that activate cell death responses.
A study on Arabidopsis thaliana found that a two-step molecular process rewired nutrient transport, allowing the plants to thrive in manganese-limited volcanic soil. The discovery provides insights into nutrient homeostasis and has implications for evolutionary biology and crop improvement.
Scientists have generated the first full assembly of a potato genome, unlocking breeding possibilities for new varieties. The tetraploid potato's complex genetic makeup has been simplified through sequencing pollen cells, enabling gene variants identification and breeding improvement.
Researchers found that many beneficial fungi in plant roots retain ancestral pathogenic capabilities, with some strains causing detrimental effects. A key gene family encoding enzymes that degrade plant cell walls was identified as a driver of these negative effects.
A complex microbial community comprising bacteria, fungi, and oomycetes is beneficial for plant growth. Inactivation of the plant innate immune system shifts this balance, making the fungal load a primary cause of disease. Bacterial partners residing in roots provide an additional layer of protection.
Researchers found that plant root-associated bacteria prefer to colonize their native host plants, rather than non-native ones, with increased competitiveness and persistence. This host preference is driven by the formation of species-specific niches and differential transcriptional reprogramming of plant roots.
Researchers found that the presence of beneficial bacteria in plant roots promotes growth under low light conditions, but reduces defense against leaf pathogens. The study suggests a complex interplay between plant growth and defense responses mediated by root microbiota.
Research finds that a balance between immune-suppressive and non-suppressive bacterial strains in the plant microbiota is crucial for maintaining microbe-plant homeostasis. This balance allows plants to promote growth while preventing excessive defense, reducing disease susceptibility.
Researchers have uncovered how plant immune receptors convert from inactive to active complexes that break down NAD+, initiating defense signaling. The study found that a tetramer composed of four receptor molecules creates a unique surface necessary for NAD+ cleavage, a critical step in plant immunity.
Researchers found that plant-secreted coumarins elicit nutritional assistance from bacterial commensals under iron limitation. Adding synthetic communities of root-associated bacteria improves plant performance on unavailable iron, but not with readily available iron.
Researchers have discovered a family of plant immune proteins with striking resemblance to vertebrate MLKLs, triggering cell death in response to pathogens. These findings provide new insights into how plants protect themselves from microbial invaders and highlight the shared machinery involved in cell death across kingdoms.
Researchers analyzed bacterial RNA and protein expression patterns during plant-bacterial interactions, revealing the impact of plant immunity on bacterial mRNAs and proteins. The study identified previously unknown transcriptional regulators controlling bacterial gene expression and virulence.
Researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research have identified two regulatory genes that control the development of leaf shapes in thale cress. By switching these genes on at specific times and locations, scientists were able to create complex leaves in a related plant species.
Researchers have deciphered the molecular events that convert inactive NLR molecules into active complexes providing disease resistance. The study focuses on protein ZAR1, which interacts with multiple 'guardees' to recognize unrelated bacterial effectors and induces cell death through a unique structure.
A recent study from the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research resolves the relationships among major lineages in the Brassicaceae family. The study uses nuclear genes to infer the relationships of 79 species, representing 50 of the 52 currently recognized main lineages.
Researchers found that multiple variants of the same resistance gene can bind dissimilar pathogen proteins in distantly related plant species, enabling direct recognition of disease-causing fungi. This discovery has significant implications for generating disease-resistant crops and could lead to rationally designed synthetic receptors.
EDS1 protein partners with PAD4 and SAG101 to promote reprogramming of gene expression and localized cell death, carrying out a crucial link between recognition and resistance in plant immunity. A key surface on EDS1 enables its functions, promoting salicylic acid accumulation and blocking bacterial virulence molecules.
Researchers found that plants prioritize protection against physical stresses over biological ones depending on leaf age, with older leaves more sensitive to pathogen attacks and younger leaves protected under abiotic stress.
Research reveals that healthy plants host diverse fungi and oomycetes in roots, but a balanced bacterial community prevents illness; certain bacteria promote plant health by limiting fungal growth.
Researchers discovered that LMI1 protein limits cell growth, preventing large cells from developing into other tissue types, resulting in smaller leaves despite early cell growth. The study also found that LMI1 regulates pea leaf morphology by producing thread-like tendrils at the tip of the leaf and large stipules at the base.