Among its many functions, the ubiquitin–proteasome system regulates substrate-specific proteolysis during the cell cycle, apoptosis, and fertilization and in pathologies such as Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, and liver cirrhosis

The continuous increase of nitrous oxide (N₂O) abundance in the atmosphere is a global concern. Multiple pathways of N₂O production occur in soil, but their significance and dependence on oxygen (O₂) availability and nitrogen (N) fertilizer source are poorly understood.

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) is one of the most broadly distributed soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) diseases and causes severe yield loss and seed quality deficiency. Multiple studies have proved that a single dominant gene can confer resistance to several SMV strains

A team of scientists at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) developed a new rice line that can drive out salt it takes from the soil into the air through salt glands it has on its leaves. Dr. Kshirod Jena, lead scientist of the team, explained that the "super salt-tolerant rice" variety was developed by crossing two different rice species, the exotic wild rice species Oryza coarctata and rice variety IR56 of the cultivated rice species O. sativa.

In an earlier greenhouse screening, we identified a local indica cultivar HT54 tolerant to high temperature at both seedling and grain-filling stages. In this study, we develop an optimized procedure for fine assessment of this heat tolerance. The results indicated that HT54 seedlings could tolerate high temperature up to 48 °C for 79h.

High night temperatures (HNTs) can reduce significantly the global rice (Oryza sativa) yield and quality. A systematic analysis of HNT response at the physiological and molecular levels was performed under field conditions. Contrasting rice accessions, N22 (highly tolerant) and Gharib (susceptible), were evaluated at 22°C (control) and 28°C (HNT).

The complexity and depth of the relationships between the three domains of life challenge the reliability of phylogenetic methods, encouraging the use of alternative analytical tools. We reconstructed a gene similarity network comprising the proteomes of 14 eukaryotes, 104 prokaryotes, 2,389 viruses and 1,044 plasmids.

Peptide signaling presumably occupies a central role in plant development, yet only few concrete examples of receptor-ligand pairs that act in the context of specific differentiation processes have been described

Bacillus subtilis is a plant-beneficial Gram-positive bacterium widely used as a biofertilizer. However, relatively little is known regarding the molecular processes underlying this bacterium's ability to colonize roots

Researchers from the University of Illinois Crop Physiology Laboratory have been re-evaluating nutrient uptake and partitioning in modern corn hybrids as many current nutrient recommendations, developed decades ago using outdated agronomic management practices and lower-yielding, non-transgenic hybrids, may need some adjustments.

In an earlier greenhouse screening, we identified a local indica cultivar HT54 tolerant to high temperature at both seedling and grain-filling stages. In this study, we develop an optimized procedure for fine assessment of this heat tolerance.

Photosynthetic organisms like plants convert sunlight, carbon dioxide, and water into chemical energy stored in the membrane of special cells through a process similar to charging a battery. To further understand this mechanism of "charging", scientists at Purdue University investigated a proton transfer pathway involved in energy storage in photosynthesis.

Scientists from Aarhus University in Denmark have discovered why some species of cereal have higher phytase activity than others and have patented a method for increasing phytase activity in wheat.

Peanut is a major agronomic crop within the legume family and an important source of plant oil, proteins, vitamins, and minerals for human consumption, as well as animal feed, bioenergy, and health products.

Several QTLs for cell wall degradability and lignin content were previously detected in the F288 × F271 maize RIL progeny, including a set of major QTLs located in bin 6.06. Unexpectedly, allelic sequencing of genes located around the bin 6.06 QTL positions revealed a monomorphous region, suggesting that these QTLs were likely “ghost” QTLs.

The major quantitative trait locus qBR9.1 confers broad-spectrum resistance to rice blast, and was mapped to a *69.1 kb region on chromosome 9 that was inherited from resistant variety Sanhuangzhan No 2 (SHZ-2). Within this region, only one predicted disease resistance gene with nucleotide binding site and leucine-rich repeat (NBS-LRR) domains was found.

Domesticated crops experience strong human-mediated selection aimed at developing high-yielding varieties adapted to local conditions. To detect regions of the wheat genome subject to selection during improvement, we developed a high-throughput array to interrogate 9,000 gene-associated single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP)

Genetic studies in Arabidopsis implicate an α/β-hydrolase, KARRIKIN-INSENSITIVE 2 (KAI2) as a receptor for karrikins, germination-promoting butenolide small molecules found in the smoke of burned plants. However, direct biochemical evidence for the interaction between KAI2 and karrikin and for the mechanism of downstream signaling by a KAI2–karrikin complex remain elusive

Biotech pineapple developed in Costa Rica by Del Monte Fresh Produce Co. Inc. has been approved for testing by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The new pineapple variety is called Rosé because of its rose-colored flesh.

Premature senescence can limit crop productivity by limiting the growth phase. In the present study, a spontaneous premature senescence mutant was identified in rice (Oryza sativa L.). Genetic analysis revealed that the premature senescence phenotype was controlled by a recessive mutation, which we named Oryza sativa premature senescence1 (ospse1)