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Drought stress activates several defense responses in plants, such as stomatal closure, maintenance of root water uptake, and synthesis of osmoprotectants. Accumulating evidence suggests that deposition of cuticular waxes is also associated with plant responses to cellular dehydration. Yet, how cuticular wax biosynthesis is regulated in response to drought is unknown. We have recently reported that an Arabidopsis thaliana abscisic acid (ABA)-responsive R2R3-type MYB transcription factor, MYB96,

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in plant cells primarily as by-products of aerobic energy metabolism. They are also generated during plant adaptation responses to environmental stresses, such as drought and high salinity. Therefore, plants have evolved ROS-detoxifying enzymes and antioxidants to cope with ROS accumulation. However, if stress conditions are prolonged, the level of ROS will surpass the capacity of the detoxifying machinery, causing oxidative damage to cellular constitue

Class III homeodomain-leucine zipper proteins regulate critical aspects of plant development, including lateral organ polarity, apical and lateral meristem formation, and vascular development. ATHB15, a member of this transcription factor family, is exclusively expressed in vascular tissues. Recently, a microRNA (miRNA) binding sequence has been identified in ATHB15 mRNA, suggesting that a molecular mechanism governed by miRNA binding may direct vascular development through ATHB15. Here, we show

Cold signals interact with other environmental cues to modulate plant developmental processes. Recent studies have shown that many Pathogenesis-Related (PR) genes are induced and disease resistance is enhanced after exposure to low temperatures, linking cold signals with pathogenesis in plants. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms and signaling schemes are largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that cold stimulates proteolytic activation of a plasma membrane-tethered NAC (NAM/ATAF1/2/CUC2

miR156 and its target SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) genes constitute an endogenous flowering pathway in Arabidopsis. The SPL genes are regulated post-transcriptionally by miR156, and incorporate endogenous aging signals into floral gene networks. Intriguingly, the SPL genes are also regulated transcriptionally by FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT)-mediated photoperiod signals. However, it is unknown how photoperiod regulates the SPL genes. Here, we show that SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CO

There has been a long-standing interest in the role played by sugars in flowering. Of particular interest is how sugar-related signals are integrated into flowering genetic pathways. Here, we demonstrate that the INDETERMINATE DOMAIN transcription factor AtIDD8 regulates photoperiodic flowering by modulating sugar transport and metabolism. We found that whereas AtIDD8-deficient idd8 mutants exhibit delayed flowering under long days, AtIDD8-overexpressing plants (35S:IDD8) show early flowering. I

Shoot apical meristem (SAM) development is coordinately regulated by two interdependent signaling events: one maintaining stem cell identity and the other governing the initiation of lateral organs from the flanks of the SAM. The signaling networks involved in this process are interconnected and are regulated by multiple molecular mechanisms. Class III homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-ZIP III) proteins are the most extensively studied transcription factors involved in this regulation. However, how

Plants adjust their architecture to optimize growth and reproductive success under changing climates. Hypocotyl elongation is a pivotal morphogenic trait that is profoundly influenced by light and temperature conditions. While hypocotyl photomorphogenesis has been well characterized at the molecular level, molecular mechanisms underlying hypocotyl thermomorphogenesis remains elusive. Here, we demonstrate that the E3 ubiquitin ligase CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (COP1) conveys warm temperature

Contents Summary 1215 I. Introduction 1215 II. Molecular organization of the plant circadian clock 1216 III. Temperature compensation 1219 IV. Temperature regulation of circadian behaviors 1220 V. Thermal adaptation of the clock: evolutionary considerations 1223 VI. Light and temperature information for the clock function - synergic or individual? 1224 VII. Concluding remarks and future prospects 1225 Acknowledgements 1225 References 1225 SUMMARY: Plant growth and development is widely affected

Leaf senescence is a highly regulated genetic process that constitutes the last stage of plant development and provides adaptive fitness by relocating metabolites from senescing leaves to reproducing seeds. Characterization of various senescence mutants, mostly in Arabidopsis, and genome-wide analyses of gene expression, have identified a wide array of regulatory components, including transcription factors and enzymes as well as signaling molecules mediating growth hormones and environmental str