PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Sniffed out -- The 'gas detectors' of the plant world

2014-01-23
(Press-News.org) Contact information: Lindsay Brooke
lindsay.brooke@nottingham.ac.uk
44-115-951-5751
University of Nottingham
Sniffed out -- The 'gas detectors' of the plant world The elusive trigger that allows plants to 'see' the gas nitric oxide (NO), an important signalling molecule, has been tracked down by scientists at The University of Nottingham. It is the first time that a central mechanism for the detection of NO in plants has been identified.

Led by Professor Michael Holdsworth in the School of Biosciences, a team of experts, including researchers from UK and EU Universities and government research institutes, have found the 'master regulators' that control the detection of NO by plants and that regulate many important aspects of plant growth and response to environmental stress.

Their research "Nitric oxide sensing in plants is mediated by proteolytic control of GroupVII ERF transcription factors" is published on Thursday January 23 2014 in the academic journal Molecular Cell.

Plants fine-tune their growth and survival in response to various signals, including internal hormones and external factors such as light or temperature. Nitric oxide gas is one such signal.

Professor Holdsworth said: "In plants, NO regulates many different processes throughout the plant's lifetime from seeds to flowering and responses to the environment. Although the effect of NO on plants has been known for many years, a general mechanism for the initial sensing of this important molecule has remained elusive. We have identified a small number of key proteins, called transcription factors, which act as 'master sensors' to control NO responses throughout the plant life cycle."

A specific structure at the beginning of these proteins means that they are rapidly degraded in the presence of NO. However, when NO is absent they become stable, resulting in changed growth and development. This mechanism allows plants to sense the NO signal and alter its growth accordingly.

Interestingly, these proteins had previously been shown to control the plant response to low oxygen stress, which occurs when plants are flooded. Therefore they appear to act as central "gas detectors", providing plants with an inbuilt mechanism for sensing and responding to different gas signals.

Due to the importance of both NO and oxygen in plant development and stress responses, these proteins represent promising targets in the development of crops that have improved agricultural traits, particularly in relation to climate change.

The work was carried out by Professor Holdsworth and his team in the School of Biosciences in collaboration with researchers at the Universities of Sheffield, Warwick, Vienna, Rothamsted Research in the United Kingdom and CSIC-IBMCP in Valencia, Spain.

INFORMATION:

The work was funded by the UK Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC), EU, Malaysian government, Spanish and Austrian government funding agencies, and by SABMiller plc.

END



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

Does it pay to be a lover or a fighter? It depends on how you woo females

2014-01-23
As ...

A time for memories

2014-01-23
Neuroscientists from the University of Leicester, in collaboration with the Department of Neurosurgery at ...

Long-term spinal cord stimulation stalls symptoms of Parkinson's-like disease

2014-01-23
DURHAM, N.C. -- Researchers at Duke Medicine have shown that continuing spinal cord stimulation appears to produce improvements in symptoms of Parkinson's disease, and ...

Large and in charge

2014-01-23
Bigger really is better – at least it was for early prehistoric life. A NASA research group featuring University of Toronto Mississauga professor Marc Laflamme has helped to explain why some ...

Climate change threatens Winter Olympics

2014-01-23
Only six of the previous Winter Olympics host cities will be cold enough to reliably host the Games by the end of this century if global warming projections ...

Cohabitation plays 'major role' in number of long-term relationships

2014-01-23
COLUMBUS, Ohio – A new national study provides surprising evidence of how cohabitation contributes to the number of long-term relationships ...

Molecules as circuits

2014-01-23
Silicon-based electronics has certain limits, in the physical sense of the word: this type of circuit can never become "nano" because of the physical laws ...

Tracing unique cells with mathematics

2014-01-23
This news release is available in German. Each cell in our body is unique. Even cells of the same tissue type that look identical under the ...

NCCS scientists discover gene regulation is dependent on protein ANP32E

2014-01-23
PUBLIC RELEASE DATE: 23-Jan-2014 [ | E-mail ] var addthis_pub="eurekalert"; var addthis_options = "favorites, delicious, digg, facebook, twitter, google, newsvine, reddit, slashdot, stumbleupon, buzz, more" Share Contact: Ms Rachel Tan Rachel.Tan.C.H@nccs.com.sg 659-754-0842 SingHealth NCCS scientists discover gene regulation is dependent on protein ANP32E Architecture of DNA is maintained by a protein called ANP32E; Cells lacking ANP32E lacked proper chromatin structure; ANP32E's ability to strip histone H2A.Z from DNA can alter gene expression; Findings ...

Cultural connections with Europe found in ancient Jordanian settlement

2014-01-23
Swedish archaeologists in Jordan led by Professor Peter M. Fischer from the University of Gothenburg have excavated a nearly 60-metre long well-preserved building from 1100 B.C. ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

Study unexpectedly finds living in rural, rather than urban environments in first five years of life could be a risk factor for developing type 1 diabetes

Editorial urges deeper focus on heart-lung interactions in pulmonary vascular disease

Five University of Tennessee faculty receive Fulbright Awards

5 advances to protect water sources, availability

OU Scholar awarded Fulbright for Soviet cinema research

Brain might become target of new type 1 diabetes treatments

‘Shore Wars:’ New research aims to resolve coastal conflict between oysters and mangroves, aiding restoration efforts

Why do symptoms linger in some people after an infection? A conversation on post-acute infection syndromes

Study reveals hidden drivers of asthma flare-ups in children

Physicists decode mysterious membrane behavior

New insights about brain receptor may pave way for next-gen mental health drugs

Melanoma ‘sat-nav’ discovery could help curb metastasis

When immune commanders misfire: new insights into rheumatoid arthritis inflammation

SFU researchers develop a new tool that brings blender-like lighting control to any photograph

Pups in tow, Yellowstone-area wolves trek long distances to stay near prey

AI breakthrough unlocks 'new' materials to replace lithium-ion batteries

Making molecules make sense: A regional explanation method reveals structure–property relationships

Partisan hostility, not just policy, drives U.S. protests

The Journal of Nuclear Medicine Ahead-of-Print Tip Sheet: August 1, 2025

Young human blood serum factors show potential to rejuvenate skin through bone marrow

Large language models reshape the future of task planning

Narrower coverage of MS drugs tied to higher relapse risk

Researchers harness AI-powered protein design to enhance T-cell based immunotherapies

Smartphone engagement during school hours among US youths

Online reviews of health care facilities

MS may begin far earlier than previously thought

New AI tool learns to read medical images with far less data

Announcing XPRIZE Healthspan as Tier 5 Sponsor of ARDD 2025

Announcing Immortal Dragons as Tier 4 Sponsor of ARDD 2025

Reporting guideline for chatbot health advice studies

[Press-News.org] Sniffed out -- The 'gas detectors' of the plant world