Scientists have discovered that a complex carbohydrate, RG-II, plays a crucial role in regulating plant growth by forming a network in the cell wall matrix through boron cross-links. The ability of RG-II to cross-link with boron enables normal plant expansion and prevents dwarfing in mutants without sufficient boron or fucose.
A team of scientists has genetically engineered a salt-tolerant tomato plant that can grow in irrigation water with high salt concentrations. The plant produces a naturally occurring protein that removes salt from the soil, allowing it to maintain quality and productivity.
A team of scientists at North Carolina State University and Yale University have analyzed the function of all proteins in yeast, discovering novel protein interactions that will require further examination. This breakthrough could lead to better understanding of protein functions in more complex organisms, including humans.
Researchers have learned that Pseudomonas syringae attacks healthy tomato plants by attaching itself to the plant cell, inserting a microscopic tube and sending a pathogenic protein into the cell. The plant cell detects alien proteins and mounts a defense using a molecular surveillance system.
Researchers have identified two distinct clusters of genes in the Arabidopsis genome that code for pollen coat proteins. These proteins enable the dry pollen coat to interact with stigma cells during pollination. The discovery provides insights into how plants recognize pollen and could lead to new techniques for crossing plants, preve...
The study found associations between increased consumption of animal-based foods and higher risks of various diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, diabetes, and liver cancer. Plant-based diets were inversely associated with these health problems.
Selected studies focus on administering oral vaccines through edible transgenic plants, modifying foods to boost healthful content of fatty acids and antioxidant values, and introducing synthetic storage protein genes into sweet potatoes. Researchers also discuss a process to raise the quality and purity of plant-based herbal medicines.
A previously unknown movement protein carries information-bearing RNA from stems and leaves to distant roots and flowers, enabling complex plant communication. This discovery provides insight into the evolutionary processes underlying complex plants and may lead to better defenses against crop diseases.
Researchers at the Carnegie Institution for Science have isolated the protein that responds to UV-A/blue light, a crucial step in understanding plant growth and development. The discovery of NPH1 as the photoreceptor for phototropism has significant implications for agricultural research and future studies on plant development.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill scientists have discovered that over-expressing a special gene in tobacco plants can manipulate the size of individual cells, resulting in smaller plant crops more resistant to dry or wet conditions. This breakthrough could lead to controlled wood cell sizes for various applications.
The pickle plant mutation retains embryonic cells in its root, storing oil, proteins, and starch. Gibberellin plays a crucial role in switching from embryonic to adult cell program, but its absence during early growth amplifies the effect.