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Sugar, the hidden thermostat in plants

New research reveals that plants rely on multiple heat-sensing systems and a sugar-based mechanism to detect temperature changes. Sugar produced in sunlight helps plants grow taller even when thermosensors like phytochrome B are less effective. This discovery could lead to breeding crops more resiliently under stress.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalNature Communications·DateJul 1, 2025

Reversal of the histidine kinase activity by a small linker helix

Researchers have discovered a way to reverse the enzymatic activity of histidine kinases by modifying a small linker helix region. This breakthrough enables the control of bacterial gene expression under red light using an optogenetic tool called pDERusk.

SourceUniversity of Jyväskylä - Jyväskylän yliopisto·JournalNature Communications·TypeExperimental study·DateJun 14, 2024

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.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalNature Communications·DateMay 7, 2024

The dual face of photoreceptors during seed germination

Phytochromes play a dual role in seed germination of Aethionema arabicum, stimulating but also inhibiting germination. The study reveals that high light intensity and duration inhibit germination, while short exposure favors germination, indicating a genetic basis for adaptation to environmental requirements.

SourceGregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology·JournalPLANT PHYSIOLOGY·TypeExperimental study·DateMar 3, 2023
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Bryophytes branch differently… also at the molecular level

Researchers discovered that non-vascular bryophytes like Marchantia polymorpha adapt their architecture in response to shade, using phytochromes to regulate branching. The study found a liverwort-specific microRNA and SPL gene controlling meristem function, differing from vascular plants.

SourceGregor Mendel Institute of Molecular Plant Biology·JournalCurrent Biology·TypeExperimental study·DateJan 24, 2023

Plants get a faster start to their day than we think

Researchers found that plants exhibit a rapid burst of gene activity within an hour of dawn, with three distinct waves. This inner circadian clock helps plants prepare for the day, and scientists identified key regulators of light signaling, including HY5 and BBX31.

SourceUniversity of Cambridge·JournalMolecular Plant·DateJun 7, 2021
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Scientists identify how plants sense temperature

Researchers have discovered a genetic mechanism used by all plants to sense temperature during the day, using the model plant Arabidopsis. The study reveals that phytochrome B plays a key role in this process, and identifies a transcription activator called HEMERA as the master control for temperature sensing.

SourceUniversity of California - Riverside·JournalNature Communications·DateJan 11, 2019

Illuminating how plants adapt to light

A team of scientists led by Joanne Chory and Detlef Weigel studied the natural variation in light sensitivity across different Arabidopsis varieties. They found that strains from lower latitudes were less sensitive to light, and that specific genetic mutations affected the molecule's ability to transmit signals. The study sheds light o...

SourceHoward Hughes Medical Institute·JournalNature Genetics·DateNov 29, 2001
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