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Plants restrict use of “Tipp-Ex proteins”

A University of Bonn study reveals that plants use special molecules called Tipp-Ex proteins to correct defective gene copies. However, these proteins are only permitted to work in chloroplasts and mitochondria, not in the cytosol where they could cause fatal miscorrections.

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Free-forming organelles help plants adapt to climate change

Researchers have determined the molecular level function of free-forming structures in plant cells that help sense light and temperature, enabling plants to distinguish a range of different light intensities. The formation of these organelles is not random but is linked to specific locations within the cell, particularly near centromeres.

Plants' ingenious defence against mutational damage

Researchers discovered plants spread out inherited mutations through random differences between offspring, aiding in crop yield and disease resistance. This process, known as segregation, relies on the plant's ability to generate randomness.

No pollen, no seeds

North Carolina State University researchers successfully transferred an important gene from one compartment of a plant cell to another, producing tobacco plants that lack pollen and viable seeds. The findings could lead to better ways of producing hybrid seeds to maximize crop productivity.

Chloroplast from the father

Scientists at Max Planck Institute discovered that paternal chloroplasts can be transmitted to offspring under cold conditions, allowing for selective breeding of traits from genetic material. This finding may enable plant breeders to use chloroplast genes in new ways.

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How calcium ions get into the cellular power stations of plants

The study found that plants have a transport route for calcium ions into their mitochondria, which is essential for signal transmission. The researchers also discovered a link between calcium ion transport and the regulation of the plant hormone jasmonic acid, which controls defense against herbivores and senescence.