Category

Plant Science

Image: A closeup of Arabidopsis leaves and seed pods. Credit: Kevin Coughlin/Brookhaven National Laboratory.

New genetic strategy for preventing breakdown of plant oils needed for biofuels and other products

By | News, Plant Science

Scientists have developed a genetic method to enhance plant oil production, crucial for biofuels and nutrition. By modifying a protein that shields oil droplets, they increased oil content in leaves and seeds. This strategy promises sustainable fuel sources and nutrient-rich oils, offering a significant advancement in green energy and agriculture.

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Image: Bioluminescent image of Arabidopsis seedlings expressing circadian clock reporter genes in response to water stress. Credit: Tong Liang, PhD/ Kay laboratory, USC

Researchers uncover biological circuit that offers a new avenue for creating drought-resistant crops

By | News, Plant Science

Climate change is already harming agricultural yields and may one day pose a significant threat to the world’s food supply. Engineering more resilient crops, including those able to thrive in the face of drought or high soil salinity levels, is an increasingly urgent need. A new study reveals details about how plants regulate their responses to stress that may prove crucial to those efforts.

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Image: In this rendition of the macromolecular model of the secondary cell wall in poplar wood, cellulose is shown in white, hemicellulose in green, and lignin in yellow. Credit: Peter Ciesielski, NREL

Researchers Produce First Macromolecular Model of Plant Secondary Cell Wall

By | News, Plant Science

A multidisciplinary approach has enabled researchers to quantitatively define the relative positioning and arrangement of the polymers in Populus wood and to create a computer model that details the findings. The research into solving this macromolecular puzzle may hold the key to efficiently disentangle and deconstruct biomass for conversion to fuels, chemicals, and materials.

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Image: Yew tree with fruits. Paclitaxel and its precursors are produced in the needles and bark of various trees in the Taxus genus. Credit: Alexa / Pixabay

Biosynthesis of paclitaxel unravelled

By | News, Plant Science

Part of modern cancer therapy is the use of chemicals that kill the tumor. Unfortunately, these chemicals are often very complex, difficult to obtain and thus expensive. Researchers have unravelled the biosynthetic pathway of paclitaxel in Yew plants. This discovery might facilitate the production of this very complex molecule which is currently produced with great efforts and high costs.

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