Table of Contents
IN BRIEF
LARGE-SCALE BIOLOGY ARTICLES
- An Atlas of Soybean Small RNAs Identifies Phased siRNAs from Hundreds of Coding Genes
An extensive analysis of small RNAs in soybean identified many miRNAs and phased, secondary siRNA (phasiRNA) loci; some of these miRNAs were the triggers of the phasiRNA loci.
- Genetic Perturbation of the Maize Methylome
Genetic analyses of maize genes in DNA methylation pathways reveal differences between maize and Arabidopsis, including evidence that DNA methylation is required for growth and development in maize.
- Integrated Network Analysis Identifies Fight-Club Nodes as a Class of Hubs Encompassing Key Putative Switch Genes That Induce Major Transcriptome Reprogramming during Grapevine Development
A small pool of putative switch genes, whose expression is negatively correlated with that of genes outside their community in the network, appear to mark the shift from immature to mature growth.
- Dissecting the Phenotypic Components of Crop Plant Growth and Drought Responses Based on High-Throughput Image Analysis
A framework for high-throughput analysis of phenotypic traits from nondestructive plant imaging is used to dissect phenotypic components of barley growth and crop performance.
- Arabidopsis Ensemble Reverse-Engineered Gene Regulatory Network Discloses Interconnected Transcription Factors in Oxidative Stress
Applying a combination of algorithms on an Arabidopsis abiotic stress gene expression compendium generated system-wide predictions of transcription regulatory interactions and functional relationships. This joined computational and experimental approach identified a set of transcription factors that highly regulate one another and function in detoxification during oxidative stress.
- The Root Hair “Infectome” of Medicago truncatula Uncovers Changes in Cell Cycle Genes and Reveals a Requirement for Auxin Signaling in Rhizobial Infection
Transcriptome profiling of M. truncatula root hairs during the initial stages of rhizobial infection helps to interpret two decades of research on Medicago and provides a foundation for future studies on host-symbiont interactions in the rhizosphere.
RESEARCH ARTICLES
- The dicer-like1 Homolog fuzzy tassel Is Required for the Regulation of Meristem Determinacy in the Inflorescence and Vegetative Growth in Maize
The maize fuzzy tassel mutant is the first dcl1 mutant reported in a plant other than Arabidopsis and enables functional analysis of specific miRNAs and their targets.
- Transcriptomic Analyses Indicate That Maize Ligule Development Recapitulates Gene Expression Patterns That Occur during Lateral Organ Initiation
Microdissection of maize leaf primordia reveals that genes utilized during initiation of leaves and branches are redeployed at the ligule blade-sheath boundary.
- Regulation of the KNOX-GA Gene Module Induces Heterophyllic Alteration in North American Lake Cress
A gene module responsible for morphological diversification of leaf form within a species may have been co-opted during plant evolution to regulate morphological variation among species.
- Site-Specific N-Glycosylation of the S-Locus Receptor Kinase and Its Role in the Self-Incompatibility Response of the Brassicaceae
N-glycosylation of the S-locus receptor kinase ensures its localization to the stigma epidermal cell membrane, where it interacts with its pollen coat-localized ligand to inhibit self-pollination.
- Proteasome-Mediated Degradation of FRIGIDA Modulates Flowering Time in Arabidopsis during Vernalization
Proteasome-mediated protein homeostasis plays a role in the fine-tuning of plant flowering time in response to cold treatment via a series of genetic and epigenetic modifications.
- Soybean miR172c Targets the Repressive AP2 Transcription Factor NNC1 to Activate ENOD40 Expression and Regulate Nodule Initiation
Induction of miR172c in response to rhizobial inoculation activates ENOD40 expression and nodule formation by repressing an AP2/ERF transcription factor, called NNC1, that acts to inhibit ENOD40 expression.
- C2-Domain Abscisic Acid-Related Proteins Mediate the Interaction of PYR/PYL/RCAR Abscisic Acid Receptors with the Plasma Membrane and Regulate Abscisic Acid Sensitivity in Arabidopsis
Subcellular localization of abscisic acid receptors as peripheral proteins in the plasma membrane is mediated in a calcium-dependent manner by C2-domain abscisic acid-related proteins.
- Cell Differentiation and Development in Arabidopsis Are Associated with Changes in Histone Dynamics at the Single-Cell Level
Histone mobility is regulated during development in Arabidopsis roots, being higher in the division zone and lower in stem cells and differentiated cells, mainly due to changes in histone acetylation.
- The Arabidopsis Cellulose Synthase Complex: A Proposed Hexamer of CESA Trimers in an Equimolar Stoichiometry
The three plant cellulose synthases of secondary cell wall synthesis are present in an equimolar ratio; this 1:1:1 ratio is a key first step in understanding how the unique properties of plant-based celluloses originate and furthers our understanding of the cellulose synthase complex.
- BEL1-LIKE HOMEODOMAIN6 and KNOTTED ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA7 Interact and Regulate Secondary Cell Wall Formation via Repression of REVOLUTA
A negatively acting regulatory module in secondary cell wall biosynthesis involving three transcription factors helps maintain metabolic homeostasis.
- A NAP-AAO3 Regulatory Module Promotes Chlorophyll Degradation via ABA Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis Leaves
The Arabidopsis transcription factor NAP promotes chlorophyll degradation by enhancing transcription of the abscisic acid (ABA) biosynthetic gene AAO3, which leads to increased levels of the senescence-promoting hormone ABA.
- Stress-Induced Chloroplast Degradation in Arabidopsis Is Regulated via a Process Independent of Autophagy and Senescence-Associated Vacuoles
A senescence- and stress-induced pathway for the degradation of chloroplast proteins that is independent of autophagy and senescence-associated vacuoles is described.
- The Arabidopsis thaliana Homolog of the Helicase RTEL1 Plays Multiple Roles in Preserving Genome Stability
A helicase is required to preserve genome stability in plants, which is likely due to its role in destabilizing various types of DNA loop recombination intermediates.
- Accessible DNA and Relative Depletion of H3K9me2 at Maize Loci Undergoing RNA-Directed DNA Methylation
Only a small fraction of the maize genome undergoes RNA-directed DNA methylation and, for several characteristics, the chromatin in these areas resembles euchromatin more than heterochromatin.
- RHON1 Mediates a Rho-Like Activity for Transcription Termination in Plastids of Arabidopsis thaliana
Genetic and biochemical data reveal that the plastid RNA binding protein RHON1 terminates rbcL transcription, using an ATP-driven mechanism similar to that of Rho factor of bacteria.
- MicroRNA408 Is Critical for the HY5-SPL7 Gene Network That Mediates the Coordinated Response to Light and Copper
Changing light and copper conditions jointly regulate the expression of a large cohort of genes; the microRNA MIR408 plays a pivotal role in this regulation.
- Arabidopsis DPB3-1, a DREB2A Interactor, Specifically Enhances Heat Stress-Induced Gene Expression by Forming a Heat Stress-Specific Transcriptional Complex with NF-Y Subunits
The DNA polymerase II subunit B3-1 interacts with DEHYDRATION-RESPONSIVE ELEMENT BINDING PROTEIN2A and NUCLEAR FACTOR Y proteins to activate gene expression during heat stress responses.
- The Arabidopsis Abiotic Stress-Induced TSPO-Related Protein Reduces Cell-Surface Expression of the Aquaporin PIP2;7 through Protein-Protein Interactions and Autophagic Degradation
Expression of a plasma membrane aquaporin is regulated by an abiotic stress-induced protein via intracellular protein-protein interactions and targeting of the aquaporin for autophagic degradation.
- Virulence Factors of Geminivirus Interact with MYC2 to Subvert Plant Resistance and Promote Vector Performance
To attract more disease vectors for viral transmission, geminivirus targets the plant transcription factor MYC2 to suppress plant terpene-based resistance against whitefly.