Search Results for: Nam-Hai Chua
Plant virus spreads by making life easy for crop pests
An ancient virus uses subterfuge to trick its host plant into lowering its defenses against pests, according to new research from The Rockefeller University. The result is that the pests that carry the virus flourish, spreading the virus ever faster. Researchers show how one molecule is behind all the mischief. More »
Tags: Nam-Hai Chua
Plant ‘vaccines’ may combat viruses in crops
Plants possess several innate mechanisms to resist viruses, but many viruses are able to overcome these barriers. A new strategy developed by Rockefeller University researchers turns a plant regulatory pathway into an effective defense against infection. More »
Viral gene hijacks small RNA pathway as a counter-attack strategy
Every day plants are battling for survival against tiny viruses invading their cells. Small RNAs are a major part of the plant’s immune system, but viruses have devised counter-attack molecules that disable this line of defense. Research from Nam-Hai Chua’s laboratory has found a new mechanism for how a viral molecule causes the breakdown of the plant’s defense system. More »
Tags: MicroRNAs, Nam-Hai Chua, PTGS
New function for protein links plant’s circadian rhythm to its light-detection mechanism
Plants know when to flower because they set their circadian clocks by measuring the length and quality of the light they receive. Now Rockefeller University researchers have found a new function for the protein SPA1, showing that it serves as an important link between a plant’s light-detection proteins and the rest of its circadian clock machinery. More »
Tags: circadian clock, Nam-Hai Chua
Protein destruction helps plants enter a different life stage
As a seed awakens and begins to sprout, it must make a decision: does it have everything it needs to grow, or should it wait for better conditions? The choice rests on the presence or absence of one protein, ABI3, and new research from the laboratory of Nam-Hai Chua, Ph.D., at Rockefeller University provides insight on how ABI3’s presence is controlled. More »
Tags: Nam-Hai Chua
Rockefeller University scientist elected fellow of Royal Society
Rockefeller University’s David Gadsby, Ph.D., was elected a fellow of the Royal Society for his research into how ion transporters function, and specifically for furthering our understanding of the origins of cystic fibrosis. More »
From creatures of the dark to photosynthesizing green beings
A plant born into darkness, underneath a blanket of soil and leaves, will grow long and thin, its spindly stem stretching up towards the hidden sun. When at last it reaches the light, the plant will sprout green leaves, thicken its stem and begin to breathe – a coordinated effort involving the switching on of hundreds of genes. More »
Tags: COP1, Nam-Hai Chua, ubiquitination
Young plant’s natural defenses amount to more than just its seed
An infant plant sleeps peacefully within its seed, entirely shielded from drought and other harsh conditions that might otherwise threaten its well-being. When the time comes at last to wake up and stretch its budding leaves, the young seedling must do so very carefully; once it decides to enter the unpredictable world outside, there’s no turning back to the safe haven of the seed. More »
Tags: ABI5, AFP, growth arrest, Nam-Hai Chua
Rockefeller Researchers Identify Defense System in Plants
Researchers at The Rockefeller University have discovered that an experimental plant may harbor an additional line of defense against drought, once it has left the safety of its seed. The work suggests that a well-known plant hormone delays the growth of newly sprouted plants in order to give them one last chance to monitor their environment for signs of dryness before initiating growth. Furthermore, they have identified a specific protein as a key player in the process. More »
Tags: ABI5, Nam-Hai Chua, plants
