Histone phosphorylation and chromatin reorganization are emerging as critical factors in eukaryotic responses to environmental stimuli. Phosphorylation of histone H3 at Thr 3 is evolutionarily conserved but its role(s) in interphase cells has remained unexplored. In Arabidopsis, we found that H3T3ph increases in pericentromeric regions upon drought-like treatments and it might be required for maintaining proper heterochromatin/chromosome structure.

Specific homologs of the plant Mildew Locus O (MLO) gene family act as susceptibility factors towards the powdery mildew (PM) fungal disease, causing significant economic losses in agricultural settings. Thus, in order to obtain PM resistant phenotypes, a general breeding strategy has been proposed, based on the selective inactivation of MLO susceptibility genes across cultivated species. In this study, PCR-based methodologies were used in order to isolate MLO genes from cultivated solanaceous crops that are hosts for PM fungi, namely eggplant,

Nonphosphorus lipids produced by heterotrophic bacteria have been measured in marine ecosystems without an understanding of their origins or role. This work shows SAR11 chemoheterotrophic bacteria synthesize multiple nonphosphorus lipids in response to phosphate depletion. Because this process results in a reduced cellular P:

Sheath blight, caused by the pathogenic fungus Rhizoctonia solani Kühn, is one of the most devastating diseases in rice. Breeders have always faced challenges in acquiring reliable and absolute resistance to this disease in existing rice germplasm. In this context, 40 rice germplasm including eight wild, four landraces, twenty- six cultivated and two advanced breeding lines were screened utilizing the colonized bits of typha.

Leucine-rich repeat extensins (LRXs) are extracellular proteins with an N-terminal leucine-rich repeat (LRR) and a C-terminal extensin domain. Previous studies on Arabidopsis thaliana root hairs reveal that LRX proteins are important for cell wall development. However, their importance of LRX proteins in non-root hair cells and the effect of mutations in LRX genes remain unclear.

Our objective was to investigate the physiological basis of genetic progress in grain yield in CIMMYT spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars developed from 1966 to 2009 in irrigated, high-potential conditions. Field experiments were conducted during three growing seasons in northwest Mexico (2008–2009, 2009–2010, and 2010–2011) examining 12 historic CIMMYT semidwarf spring wheat cultivars released from 1966 to 2009. The linear rate of genetic gain in grain yield was 30 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ (0.59% yr⁻¹; R² = 0.58, P = 0.01).

Many viruses, including those of global concern, are dependent on internalization for their entry. We found that ribonuclease kappa (RNASEK) is required for infection of every virus we tested that enters cells through an acid-dependent pathway, including dengue, West Nile, Sindbis, Rift Valley Fever, and influenza viruses. Mechanistically, we found that RNASEK has no effect on virus binding to cells but, rather, is required for their uptake.

Asexually propagated crops offer the advantage that all genetic effects can be exploited in farmers’ pro-duction fields. However, non-additive effects complicate selection because, while influencing the performance of the materials under evaluation, they cannot be transmit-ted efficiently to the following cycle of selection. Cassava can be used as a model crop for asexually propagated crops because of its diploid nature and the absence of (known) incompatibility effects.

Lignin is a biopolymer with various agro-industrial uses. However, lignin in cell walls impedes biofuel production from plant biomass. The phenylpropanoid pathway is responsible for lignin synthesis and other phenolic metabolites.One of the metabolites produced is 2-phenylethanol, a known fragrance chemical and an intermediate in lignin synthesis. Guang Qi, Chunxiang Fu and Gongke Zhou, all from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, conferred two 2-phenylethanol biosynthetic pathways of plants and Saccharomyces cerevisiae into Arabidopsis.

Plant pathogenic bacteria cause destructive diseases in many commercially important crops. Among these bacteria, eight pathogens, Ralstonia solanacearum, Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae, X. campestris pv. campestris, Erwinia amylovora, Pantoea stewartii subsp. stewartii, Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae, and Xylella fastidiosa,