Highlights
Thylakoid membrane biogenesis via VIA1
A recent Cell Reports paper by Dr. Mayank Sharma (Zeeman Group) discovered an evolutionarily conserved chloroplast inner envelope protein, VIA1. Consisting of ESCRT-II–like winged-helix domains, VIA1 interacts with the chloroplast ESCRT-III protein VIPP1 to coordinate thylakoid membrane biogenesis.
Improved synapsis promotes meiotic stability in genome duplicated Arabidopsis arenosa
A recent "PNAS" paper by the Bomblies group (IMPB) demonstrates that key meiotic processes involved in early chromosome pairing, need to be modified to stabilize meiosis (the cell division that creates spores or gametes) in polyploids, which have four instead of two copies of every chromosome.
Distinct and redundant roles of the Arabidopsis OCTOPUS gene family in plant growth beyond phloem development
A recent article published in the Journal of Experimental Botany by the Truernit Group (IMPB) sheds light on the distinct and redundant roles of the Arabidopsis OCTOPUS gene family in plant growth beyond phloem development.
Golden Owl of the VSETH for Prof. Samuel C. Zeeman
The Golden Owl honours lecturers who have provided exceptional teaching and motivates them to continue with their excellent teaching. The Owl is awarded by the VSETH, ETH Zurich’s students association.
Chromatin accessibility and gene expression vary between a new and evolved autopolyploid of Arabidopsis arenosa
Thanvi, Adrian and Kirsten from our group just published a Molecular Biology and Evolution paper, describing how epigenomic and transcriptomic changes occur during polyploidy evolution in plants.
ARGONAUTE 10 allows proper miR165/6 gradient formation along the root xylem axis
A recent publication in EMBO Journal by the Voinnet group (IMPB) addresses the conundrum of how to create a linear gene expression gradient out of a radially-moving silencing small RNA in Arabidopsis.
A guide to plant siRNAs
In a recent review published in Plant Cell, Olivier Voinnet (IMPB) and his colleague Hervé Vaucheret (INRAE, Versailles) provide an in-depth and comprehensive overview of the plant siRNA landscape, emphasizing the extraordinary diversity of their biogenesis and functions.
Solving mysteries of plant small RNA movement
A publication in Plant Journal by the Voinnet group (IMPB) addresses several outstanding questions pertaining to the cell-to-cell and vascular movement of small interfering (si)RNAs in Arabidopsis.
Defective pollen tube tip-growth induces neo-polyploid infertility
A recent paper published in Science by the Bomblies group (IMPB), shows that newly formed polyploids suffer a severe defect in polar cell growth, which is essential for fertility in plants as it allows sperm to reach ovules, and provides insight into a naturally evolved solution to this challenge.
Where to start? – Initiation of starch granules
A recent article published in PNAS by the Zeeman Group (IMPB) sheds light on how starch granules initiate within the chloroplast of leaf tissue. The study identifies a key protein, 'MFP1,' as the determinant of the site of starch granule formation.