Articles tagged with Cell Walls
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A new study found a hidden pattern inside plant stem cells, controlling the stiffness of their walls. This bimodal pattern prompts precise control over cell division and development. The researchers identified a key enzyme gene and a mechanism to regulate its activity, ensuring healthy plant growth.
Researchers discovered that plants respond to compacted soil by thickening their roots and changing their structure, allowing them to penetrate harder. This mechanism is similar to basic engineering principles, such as a pipe's diameter and outer wall strength affecting its ability to resist buckling.
The study identified MYB61-PS1 as a critical regulatory module shaping the 3D structure of xylem vessel pits in rice, improving yield by sustaining vessel hydraulics and facilitating nitrogen transport. Rice plants harboring PS1 Hap2 displayed significantly improved nitrogen transport efficiency, leading to increased grain yield.
A University of Missouri-led study has uncovered how poplar trees can naturally adjust a key part of their wood chemistry based on changes in their environment, supporting improved bioenergy production. The discovery sheds light on the role of lignin and its potential to create better biofuels and sustainable products.
Researchers develop advanced materials from plant waste, enhancing wood strength without increasing weight or harming the environment. The treatment used is simple, cost-effective and safe, making it a potential replacement for traditional construction materials.
A team of Rutgers researchers captures images of living plant cells synthesizing cellulose and forming complex networks on the outer cell surface. The discovery reveals a dynamic process that may lead to more robust plants for increased food production and lower-cost biofuels.
Researchers have identified a conserved mechanism to protect plant vacuoles from rupturing due to cell wall damage. The study found that the molecule ATG8 is relocated to the vacuole membrane upon disruption of the cell wall, helping to maintain pressure balance.
Scientists have discovered a way to remove toxic compounds from potatoes, making them safer to eat and easier to store. By engineering plants to control when and where these compounds are produced, researchers envision crops that can be stored without risk of toxicity.
Researchers at Osaka Metropolitan University have discovered yeast cell wall-derived proteins that exhibit high emulsifying activity, comparable to commercial casein emulsifier. These easily released protein molecules could potentially replace emulsifiers derived from milk, eggs, and soybeans, reducing allergenic concerns.
A new review highlights temperature's influence on lignin biosynthesis in plants, impacting global warming and sustainable resource management. Lignin's traditional applications are being supplemented by emerging uses in advanced materials and nanomaterials.
Researchers at Penn State developed a new method to turn stripped-down plant cells into other types of cells, revealing the banding patterns in plant cell walls that increase stability. The study's findings provide insights into how cell walls are created and can inform methods to break down plant cells for biofuels.
Researchers have discovered that Listeria monocytogenes loses its cell wall and becomes round when entering a dormant state, making it undetectable by growth-based tests. Developing antibodies to detect dormant forms of the bacterium could lead to specific tests for better protection.
Researchers found that a specific crosslinking mode in the peptidoglycan cell wall inhibits certain cell wall degrading enzymes, protecting bacteria from internal and external damage. This discovery may lead to new treatments for developing antibacterial therapies.
Researchers at Michigan State University characterized how fungi restructure their cell walls to thwart current antifungal medications. The study found that fungi enhance their survival odds by making specific changes to the structure and organization of the components in their cell walls, rendering existing drugs ineffective.
Researchers have discovered a novel type of wood that is highly efficient at carbon storage, thanks to its unique macrofibril structure. This discovery may lead to the development of new plantation forests capable of capturing large quantities of carbon dioxide.
A new study by Salk scientists reveals a key gene that enhances plants' zinc tolerance, allowing them to thrive in toxic conditions. The discovery enables the development of crops more resilient to soil contamination, a major goal of Salk's Harnessing Plants Initiative.
A study at Umeã University reveals that an enzyme breaks down the bacteria's protective outer layer, facilitating the transfer of genes for resistance to antibiotics. The researchers identified that only the SLT domain was active in PrgK, but it has an important role in regulation.
A team of researchers from the University of Southern Denmark has discovered a mechanism that reduces the formation of biofilm on the surface of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a bacterium commonly found in hospitals and resistant to most antibiotics. The biofilm-reducing system is naturally stimulated by cell wall stress, and its discovery of...
The study reveals that cellobiose fragments can bind to the tunnel's back door and block subsequent cellulose molecules, as well as bind to Cel7A near the front door, preventing enzyme binding. New methods could be developed to fine-tune this process, improving biofuel production efficiency.
Researchers developed a high-speed modulation system combining digital display with super-resolution imaging, significantly improving lateral and axial resolution. This enables detailed study of subcellular structures in animal cells and plant ultrastructures, paving the way for future biological discoveries.
A team of University of Copenhagen researchers has created a large reference catalogue of plant cell wall compositions from 287 species, representing the entire plant kingdom. The study reveals that carbohydrate composition is more closely related to a plant's family history than its habitat and growth form.
Researchers decoded the complex gene regulatory network governing secondary cell wall formation, highlighting its role in diverse structures. The study reveals a multilayered network with dynamic control, shedding light on environmental fluctuations and post-transcriptional modifications.
Researchers have found that halophilic fungi can restructure their cell walls to withstand extremely salty conditions, minimizing water loss and maintaining structure. This discovery could lead to the development of new technologies harnessing these microbes for industrial processes.
Researchers discovered that suberin lamellae evolved in the common ancestor of seed plants, enabling them to thrive in arid conditions. The unique structure enhances vascular water transport efficiency, promoting seed plant dominance.
Researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory engineered enzymes to modify grass plant cell walls, reducing lignin content and making sugars more accessible. This led to up to 30% more sugar collection through fermentation, enabling potential conversion into biofuels like ethanol.
New plant cell walls exhibit significantly different mechanical properties compared to surrounding parental walls, enabling cells to alter their local shape and influence the growth of plant organs. Researchers have discovered that new cell walls in some plants are 1.5 times stiffer than the parental cell walls.
A University of Adelaide-led study introduces a new method to engineer plant cell wall enzymes, enabling the production of valuable products. The technique involves controlling specific enzymes' catalytic function to assemble, structure, and remodel plant cell walls.
Scientists have engineered trees to be easier to disassemble into simpler building blocks using callose-enriched wood. This approach increases the efficiency of converting woody plant biomass to fuel and other useful products.
Researchers have identified a new process by which sugar is released by symbiotic algae, showing the cell wall plays a crucial role in symbiosis and carbon circulation. The findings provide an important piece of the jigsaw puzzle for understanding carbon cycling in marine environments.
Researchers discovered a central regulator, DipM, controlling multiple autolysins and promoting cell constriction in Caulobacter crescentus. The study reveals DipM's role in coordinating bacterial cell wall remodeling and division processes.
A team at Penn State has identified a protein called calcium-dependent protein kinase 32 (CPK32) that modifies the cellular machinery responsible for producing cellulose. This new understanding could inform the design of more stable, cellulose-enriched materials for biofuels and other functions.
A decade-long study reveals that warmer temperatures lead to significant loss of organic compounds in deep forest soils, affecting carbon sequestration. This finding has implications for natural carbon sinks and soil management practices.
Researchers discovered unique 'pulvinar slits' in the cell walls of cortical motor cells in legume pulvini, which enable flexible control of leaf movement. The slits allowed for anisotropic extension and contraction, facilitating plant cell wall flexing in response to osmotic changes.
Scientists at Umea University found a new transporter controlling bacterial cell wall integrity and resistance to antibiotics. The discovery sheds light on muropeptide recycling and its role in bacteria's ability to thrive.
A UMass Amherst microbiologist is working to develop new treatments for tuberculosis by targeting the bacteria's surface structure. The goal is to create a drug that can disrupt the cell envelope, making the bacteria vulnerable to attack.
A team of researchers from Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg has discovered a transport pathway for manganese in plants and the role that BICAT3 plays in this process. The protein is responsible for transporting manganese to where it needs to go in plant cells, leading to improved crop growth.
The study found that microbial enzymes are essential for the digestion of pectin in leaf beetles, allowing them to access nutrient-rich plant cells. The researchers also discovered that leaf beetle species acquire these enzymes through horizontal gene transfer from other microbes.
Researchers at Nara Institute of Science and Technology used AFM and finite element simulations to describe plant cell wall stiffness in relation to elasticity and turgor pressure. Their findings suggest that tension from turgor pressure regulates cell stiffness, providing a better understanding of how plants resist stress.
Researchers discovered a bacterial enzyme that enabled the evolution of longhorned beetles to break down complex plant cell wall components. The study found that gene duplication played a key role in increasing the diversity and specificity of these enzymes.
Gram-negative bacteria rely on cell wall to synchronize outer membrane building, but a new study identified 'old' peptidoglycan as the key factor controlling this process. Disrupting this mechanism makes Gram-negative bacteria vulnerable to targeted antibiotics.
A team of researchers from the University of Cologne identified a possible key enzyme that enables algae-eating protists to dissolve algal cell walls. The study, published in Current Biology, reveals new insights into the molecular toolkit used by these organisms to interact with their prey.
Researchers at Jacobs University have developed a novel method for drug delivery using boron clusters, enabling efficient transport of bioactive substances into cells. The breakthrough has potential applications in overcoming antibiotic resistance and delivering innovative therapeutics, such as peptides and protein-based drugs.
Researchers identified eight new microorganisms that cleave ether bonds in the lignin-based compound-2-phenoxyacetophenone. These discoveries could enhance our understanding of the carbon cycle and facilitate biotechnological applications for lignin commercialization.
Scientists discovered that fungal endophytes convert chitin to chitosan, a natural plant defense activator, to evade host defense. This conversion enables the fungus to live in symbiotic association with grasses, protecting them from biotic and abiotic stresses.
Researchers from Louisiana State University discovered the molecular architecture of fungal cell walls and how they respond to stresses, paving the way for new antifungal compounds. The study's findings reveal the structural role of each major carbohydrate in the cell wall and provide a revised model of fungal cell wall organization.
A team of researchers from UC Riverside has discovered how a small molecule called auxin triggers the growth process in plants. By analyzing cell walls, they found that auxin lowers pH levels, causing cells to become acidic and soften, allowing them to expand and grow.
Researchers revealed that β-lactam antibiotics like penicillin kill MRSA by forming small holes in the cell wall, which gradually enlarge and lead to bacterial death. This discovery provides new avenues for treatment developments against antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
A recent study has identified a nematode attractant in flax seeds, which can be used to develop sustainable and environmentally-friendly agriculture methods. The attractant, consisting of cell wall polysaccharides, is found to contain L-galactose sidechains that are critical for nematode attraction.
A study reveals the biological process used by Xanthomonas to weaken plants' defense systems and discovers a novel class of enzymes called CE20 that can assist infection. This discovery contributes to developing strategies to combat citrus canker and obtaining advanced sugars from agroindustrial waste.
A team of researchers from the University of York has identified a new class of enzymes that enable crop pathogens to break through plant cell walls and infect plants. The discovery could lead to effective disease control technologies and protect crops from devastating diseases such as potato late blight.
Researchers have discovered an enzyme that enables the accumulation of p-hydroxybenzoic acid in plant cell walls, a potential game-changer for sustainable industrial chemical production. By controlling the expression of this enzyme, plants can be engineered to produce more of this valuable chemical building block.
Researchers discovered an enzyme from Amazon fungus Trichoderma harzianum capable of breaking down diverse plant biomass sugars, enhancing the efficiency of second-generation ethanol production. The enzyme's industrial use is now viable at low cost due to genetic engineering techniques.
Researchers modelled plant cell walls, discovering that chains of cellulose form a network providing both strength and extensibility. This new concept could inspire polymeric materials with new properties.
Researchers discovered that transfer RNAs (tRNAs) play a crucial role in controlling the activation of the stringent response pathway. The MurM enzyme, involved in cell wall synthesis, acts as a quality control manager to ensure accurate translation and prevent toxic tRNA buildup.
A recent study reveals how bacteria develop tolerance to beta-lactam antibiotics, leading to persistent infections. The researchers identified a system that mitigates iron toxicity in tolerant bacteria, opening the door for new therapies that exploit oxidative damage and iron influx.
Researchers used genetic engineering to make Arabidopsis thaliana cells form xylem and secondary cell walls, allowing them to observe the formation process. The study revealed that microtubules play a key role in forming patterns, and a protein complex called KATANIN is involved in the timely and orderly formation of secondary walls.
Researchers have developed a genetic engineering method to observe woody cell wall formation in plants, allowing them to better understand the mechanisms behind complex biological processes. This breakthrough could lead to the development of stronger construction materials with a smaller carbon footprint.
Researchers at University of Maryland Baltimore County identified three coordinated pathways in filamentous fungi responding to cell wall stress. By understanding how cells work and respond to stress, scientists can develop new processes for improving crop quality and creating pharmaceuticals.
Researchers have identified a unique enzyme used by predatory bacteria to rupture the cell wall of its prey bacteria and exit without damaging its own cell wall. The discovery of this novel lysozyme holds promise for developing new therapies against antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Researchers at University of São Paulo characterized a novel family of anti-bacterial toxins present in bacteria like Salmonella enterica. The toxins inhibit cell wall synthesis in rival bacteria, facilitating colonization and causing imbalances in established microbial communities.