As global temperatures rise and populations of bees and other pollinators dwindle, food crop production is increasingly becoming a puzzle for growers.
A new study by researchers at the University of Maryland puts some of the pieces together, providing insight into exactly how flowering plants develop fruits and seeds.
Understanding this process is especially important because common food cropssuch as peanuts, corn, rice and strawberriesare all fruits and seeds derived from flowers, said Zhongchi Liu, the studys senior author and a professor in the Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics and affiliate professor in the Department of Plant Sciences and Landscape Architecture. Knowing how plants 'decide' to turn part of their flowers into fruit and seed is crucial to agriculture and our food supply.
Funded by the National Science Foundation, the study was publishedlast month in the journal Nature Communications. Liu and her team aimed to discover how fertilizationor pollinationtriggers a flowering plant to start the fruit development process. The team suspected that an internal communication system was responsible for signaling the plant to develop fruit, but the researchers were unsure how that system was being activated by fertilization or pollination.
To find out, the team simulated pollination and fruit development mechanisms using strawberry plants. Strawberries are particularly suited to fertilization modeling due to their unique structure and seed location.
As an inside-out fruit, strawberry seeds are much easier to manipulate and observe than the seeds of other fruits like tomatoes, Liu said. This made it easier for us to view the seeds and extract genetic information from them at multiple stages of plant development.
Liu and her team identified AGL62, a gene universally found in all flowering plants, as the trigger to a plants production of fruit and seed.
AGL62 stimulates the production of an essential plant growth hormone called auxin. Once the gene activates, auxin is synthesized to prompt the creation of seedcoat, the outer protective layer of a seed; the endosperm, the part of a seed that provides food for a developing plant embryo; and fruit. Auxins role in regulating endosperm growth is especially significant for researchers as it impacts the size of the grain and enlargement of the fruit.
Auxin levels can limit how big an endosperm can grow and how much nutrition endosperm can accumulate for a plant embryo, Liu said. More auxin can boost grain size and stimulate fruit enlargement. When theres less auxin, endosperms are unable to feed plant embryos properly and we end up with lowered crop productivitysmaller or deformed fruits that arent commercially viable.
Gerald Schoenknecht, a program director in NSFs Division of Integrative Organismal Systems, added, Strawberry fruits are textbook examples of how the plant hormone auxin produced in seeds controls fruit size. Discovering a gene that is required for auxin synthesis after fertilization may open avenues to achieve fruit development without fertilization.
See the rest here:
Maryland Today | Insight From an Inside-out Fruit - Maryland Today
- Distinguished investigator brings expertise in genetics and cell biology to Texas A&M AgriLife - AgriLife Today - October 26th, 2024 [October 26th, 2024]
- Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology (IMCB) - Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) - October 13th, 2024 [October 13th, 2024]
- Joseph Gall, father of modern cell biology, dead at 96 - Carnegie Institution for Science - September 15th, 2024 [September 15th, 2024]
- A dual role of ERGIC-localized Rabs in TMED10-mediated unconventional protein secretion - Nature.com - June 27th, 2024 [June 27th, 2024]
- Yoshihiro Yoneda Appointed President of the International Human Frontier Science Program Organization - PR Newswire - June 27th, 2024 [June 27th, 2024]
- A new way to measure ageing and disease risk with the protein aggregation clock - EurekAlert - June 18th, 2024 [June 18th, 2024]
- How Flow Cytometry Spurred Cell Biology - The Scientist - June 18th, 2024 [June 18th, 2024]
- Building Cells from the Bottom Up - The Scientist - June 18th, 2024 [June 18th, 2024]
- From Code to Creature - The Scientist - June 18th, 2024 [June 18th, 2024]
- Adding intrinsically disordered proteins to biological ageing clocks - Nature.com - May 24th, 2024 [May 24th, 2024]
- Advancing Cell Biology and Cancer Research via Cell Culture and Microscopy Imaging Techniques - Lab Manager Magazine - May 24th, 2024 [May 24th, 2024]
- Study explores how different modes of cell division evolved in close relatives of fungi and animals - News-Medical.Net - May 24th, 2024 [May 24th, 2024]
- Solving the Wnt nuclear puzzle - Nature.com - May 24th, 2024 [May 24th, 2024]
- Prof. Jay Shendure Joins Somite Therapeutics as Scientific Co-founder - BioSpace - May 24th, 2024 [May 24th, 2024]
- One essential step for a germ cell, one giant leap for the future of reproductive medicine - EurekAlert - May 24th, 2024 [May 24th, 2024]
- May: academy-medical-sciences | News and features - University of Bristol - May 24th, 2024 [May 24th, 2024]
- Universal tool for tracking cell-to-cell interactions - ASBMB Today - May 24th, 2024 [May 24th, 2024]
- Close Encounters of Skin and Nerve Cells - The Scientist - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- OrthoID: Decoding Cellular Conversations with Cutting-Edge Technology - yTech - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Impact of aldehydes on DNA damage and aging - EurekAlert - April 15th, 2024 [April 15th, 2024]
- Redefining Cell Biology: Nondestructive Genetic Insights With Raman Spectroscopy - SciTechDaily - March 29th, 2024 [March 29th, 2024]
- Scientists Unravel the Unusual Cell Biology Behind Toxic Algal Blooms - SciTechDaily - March 19th, 2024 [March 19th, 2024]
- Ancient retroviruses played a key role in the evolution of vertebrate brains - EurekAlert - February 21st, 2024 [February 21st, 2024]
- Singapore scientists uncover a crucial link between cholesterol synthesis and cancer progression - EurekAlert - February 4th, 2024 [February 4th, 2024]
- Scientists uncover a way to "hack" neurons' internal clocks to speed up brain cell development - News-Medical.Net - February 4th, 2024 [February 4th, 2024]
- First atomic-scale 'movie' of microtubules under construction, a key process for cell division - EurekAlert - February 4th, 2024 [February 4th, 2024]
- Small RNAs take on the big task of helping skin wounds heal better and faster with minimal scarring - EurekAlert - February 4th, 2024 [February 4th, 2024]
- Shengjie Feng channels the powers of cryogenic electron microscopy - Newswise - January 19th, 2024 [January 19th, 2024]
- Study pinpoints breast cancer cells-of-origi - EurekAlert - January 19th, 2024 [January 19th, 2024]
- New analysis of cancer cells identifies 370 targets for smarter, personalized treatments - News-Medical.Net - January 19th, 2024 [January 19th, 2024]
- EU funding for pioneering research on the treatment of gliomas - EurekAlert - January 19th, 2024 [January 19th, 2024]
- The future of mRNA biology and AI convergence - Drug Target Review - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- The future of artificial breast milk, according to one lab - Quartz - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Shedding new light on the hidden organization of the cytoplasm - News-Medical.Net - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Bugs that help bugs: How environmental microbes boost fruit fly reproduction - EurekAlert - December 22nd, 2023 [December 22nd, 2023]
- Cells Move in Groups Differently Than They Do When Alone - NYU Langone Health - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- Cells move in groups differently than they do when alone - EurekAlert - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- Seattle Hub for Synthetic Biology plans to transform cells into tiny recording devices - GeekWire - December 14th, 2023 [December 14th, 2023]
- Virginia Tech and Weizmann Institute of Science tackle cell ... - Virginia Tech - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Vast diversity of human brain cell types revealed in trove of new ... - Spectrum - Autism Research News - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Singamaneni to develop advanced protein imaging method - The ... - Washington University in St. Louis - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Researchers find certain cancers can activate 'enhancer' in the ... - University of Toronto - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- 2023 Hettleman Prizes awarded to five exceptional early-career ... - UNC Research - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Faeth Therapeutics Announces National Academy of Medicine ... - BioSpace - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- From Migrant Farm Worker to Duke Scientist, Everardo Macias ... - Duke University School of Medicine - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Finding the golden ticket? Cyclin T1 is required for HIV-1 latency ... - Fred Hutch News Service - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Spermidine May Improve Egg Health and Fertility - Lifespan.io News - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Molecule discovered that grows bigger and stronger muscles - Earth.com - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- SGIOY: 3 Biotech Stocks With Potential Future Gains - StockNews.com - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Association for Molecular Pathology Publishes Best Practice ... - Technology Networks - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- A new cell type with links to gastric cancer steps up for its mugshot - Fred Hutch News Service - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Programmed cell death may be 1.8 billion year - EurekAlert - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- New study confirms presence of flesh-eating and illness-causing ... - Science Daily - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- New Institute for Immunologic Intervention (3i) at the Hackensack ... - Hackensack Meridian Health - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Post-doctoral Fellow in Cancer Biology in the Department of ... - Times Higher Education - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Scientists uncover key enzymes involved in bacterial pathogenicity - News-Medical.Net - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- B cell response after influenza vaccine in young and older adults - EurekAlert - October 16th, 2023 [October 16th, 2023]
- Post-doctoral researcher in yeast cell biology job with UNIVERSITY ... - Times Higher Education - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- expert reaction to study looking at creating embryo-like structures ... - Science Media Centre - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- UCF Bone Researcher Receives National Recognition - UCF - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- PhenomeX to Participate in American Association of Cancer ... - BioSpace - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Inland Empire stem-cell therapy gets $2.9 million booster - UC Riverside - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- New finding in roundworms upends classical thinking about animal cell differentiation - News-Medical.Net - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Biology's unsolved chicken-or-egg problem: Where did life come from? - Big Think - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Azacitidine in Combination With Trametinib May Be Effective for ... - The ASCO Post - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Researchers clear the way for well-rounded view of cellular defects - Phys.org - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- We were dancing around the lab cellular identity discovery has potential to impact cancer treatments - Newswise - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Environmental stressors' effect on gene expression explored in lecture - Environmental Factor Newsletter - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- RNA therapy restores gene function in monkeys modeling ... - Spectrum - Autism Research News - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Traumatic brain injury interferes with immune system cells' recycling ... - Science Daily - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Lab-grown fat could give cultured meat real flavor and texture - EurekAlert - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Researchers reveal mechanism of polarized cortex assembly in migrating cells - Phys.org - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Probing Selfish Centromeres Unveils an Evolutionary Arms Race - The Scientist - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Meet the 2023 Outstanding Graduating Students - UMaine News ... - University of Maine - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- The Worlds Sexiest Fragrance Unveiled, But Its Not For You - Revyuh - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- City of Hope appoints John D. Carpten, Ph.D., as director of its ... - BioSpace - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Modernized Algorithm Predicts Drug Targets for SARS-CoV-2, Other ... - GenomeWeb - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- BU researcher wins $3.9 million NIH grant to develop novel therapeutic modalities for Alzheimer's - News-Medical.Net - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Providing critical insights for animal development - HKU biologists ... - EurekAlert - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]
- Students Express Frustrations About the Middle Class Scholarship - The Triton - April 8th, 2023 [April 8th, 2023]