Background: The EXO (EXORDIUM) gene was identified as a potential mediator of brassinosteroid (BR)-promoted growth. It is part of a gene family with eight members in Arabidopsis. EXO gene expression is under control of BR, and EXO overexpression promotes shoot and root growth. In this study, the consequences of loss of EXO function are described. Results: The exo loss of function mutant showed ...

Most organisms have daily rhythms set by environmental conditions such as light. Plants in particular are very sensitive to changes in their environment, responding to such changes with altered growth and development. At a molecular level, changes in the environment are detected and processed through an internal circadian clock. At the core of all circadian clocks is a transcriptional feedback ...

Plant biologists have long sought the identity of florigen, the signal that travels from the leaves to the shoot apical meristem to induce flowering. Two recent reports conclude that the elusive florigen is FLOWERING LOCUS (FT) in the model plant Arabiodpsis thaliana (Corbesier et al., 2007) and that its homolog in rice is Hd3a (Tamaki et al., 2007). Although FT is known to promote flowering an...

In plants, the shoot and root meristems produce auxin, a hormone that directs growth and cellular elongation in response to light and gravity. The distribution of auxin in plants (and thus its availability to target tissues) is regulated by its directional transport within the plant. Recent findings highlight the importance of the PIN family of proteins in regulating auxin transport. The growth...

With a growing body of genomic information and ever-increasing demands on agriculture, the study of plant genetics is perhaps more urgent than ever. This issue’s Plant Biology Select discusses a technique for site-specific modification of crop plant genomes and describes surprising new evidence that plant tissue grafts may serve as a conduit for the spread of genetic information. Recent work al...

The 18S-28S rDNA and 5S rDNA loci in Populus trichocarpa were localized using fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH). Two 18S-28S rDNA sites and one 5S rDNA site were identified and located at the ends of 3 different chromosomes. FISH signals from the Arabidopsis -type telomere repeat sequence were observed at the distal ends of each chromosome. Six BAC clones selected from 2 linkage groups b...

The Rhabdoviridae, whose members collectively infect invertebrates, animals, and plants, form a large family that has important consequences for human health, agriculture, and wildlife ecology. Plant rhabdoviruses can be separated into the genera Cytorhabdovirus and Nucleorhabdovirus, based on their sites of replication and morphogenesis. This review presents a general overview of classical and...

Choosing a career path in science is a process of discovery that is deeply personal. Yet, hopefully we can learn from the experiences of others in weighing our own choices. My case involved a decision to accept a position as a scientist in a company involved in plant research aimed ultimately at commercial products. The decision was influenced by factors that were anticipated and, as is often t...