Roots – Plant en Zo

A new regulatory element enables bacterial uptake by plant cells

Plants take up nitrogen fixing bacteria when they start a symbiosis with them. Now new research shows that it is not a specific gene, but a regulatory element of genes that allows plant to do this.

How soybeans get the most out of offered help

A symbiosis with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi helps plants during nutrient shortages. But in legumes this is slightly different regulated. A new study analysing this finds that once the symbioses is initiated the plant actively recruits more microbes that help.

Hoe sojabonen het meest uit geboden hulp halen

Een symbiose met arbuscular mycorrhizal schimmels helpt planten bij een tekort aan voedingstoffen. Maar in vlinderbloemige de regulatie is net even anders. Dit bestuderend vond een nieuwe studie dat wanneer de symbiose aangegaan is de plant actief meer behulpzame microben rekruteert.

Parasite organ formation

Parasitic plants need another plant to survive. With an organ called an haustorium they latch on their host plant to siphon away its nutrients. Now a new study shines some light on how the development of an haustorium is regulated.