Plants are unique as their development and morphogenesis are plastic throughout their lives. They continuously monitor diverse biotic and abiotic parameters of their environment and these sensory perceptions shape their organs and bodies. Although genes are critical, the final form and architecture of above-ground organs, and es- cially of root systems, are determined by their sensory activities associated with motoric responses (Friml 2003; Hodge 2009). Sensory plant biology and plant el- trophysiology were two lively disciplines until the late 1970s (Bunning 1959; Haupt and Feinleib 1979)...
Plants are unique as their development and morphogenesis are plastic throughout their lives. They continuously monitor diverse biotic and abiotic para...
Our image of plants is changing dramatically away from passive entities merely subject to environmental forces and organisms that are designed solely for the accumulation of photosynthate. Plants are revealing themselves to be dynamic and highly sensitive organisms that actively and competitively forage for limited resources, both above and below ground, organisms that accurately gauge their circumstances, use sophisticated cost-benefit analysis, and take clear actions to mitigate and control diverse environmental threats. Moreover, plants are also capable of complex recognition of self and...
Our image of plants is changing dramatically away from passive entities merely subject to environmental forces and organisms that are designed solely ...
Oxygen (O ) appeared in significant amounts in the Earth's atmosphere over 2. 2 2 billion years ago, largely due to the evolution of photosynthesis by cyanobacteria (Halliwell 2006). The O molecule is a free radical, as it has two impaired electrons 2 that have the same spin quantum number. This spin restriction makes O prefer to 2 accept its electrons one at a time, leading to the generation of the so-called reactive oxygen species (ROS). The chemical nature of these species dictates that they can create damage in cells. This has contributed to the creation of the "oxidative stress" concept;...
Oxygen (O ) appeared in significant amounts in the Earth's atmosphere over 2. 2 2 billion years ago, largely due to the evolution of photosynthesis by...
This volume focuses on the structure, function and regulation of plant signaling G proteins and their function in hormonal pathways, polarity, differentiation, morphogenesis and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.
Plants are sessile organisms that need to continuously coordinate between external and internal cues. This coordination requires the existence of hubs to allow cross-talk between different signaling pathways. A single family of Rho GTPases, termed either ROPS or RACs, and heterotrimeric G proteins have emerged as the major molecular switches in a multitude of signal...
This volume focuses on the structure, function and regulation of plant signaling G proteins and their function in hormonal pathways, polarity, diff...
Plants must adapt to changing environmental conditions. This volume highlights the role of transporters and pumps in the regulation of movement, long-range transport and compartmentalization of water, solutes, nutrients and classical signaling molecules.
Plants must adapt to changing environmental conditions. This volume highlights the role of transporters and pumps in the regulation of movement, long-...
The mystique of the rainforest has captured the imaginations of generations of young people, explorers, authors, and biologists. It is a delicate ecosystem whose myriad sounds and smells, whose vibrancy of life, is balanced by constant cycles of death and decay. It is a place of fierce competition where unusual partnerships are forged and creative survival strategies are the norm. In this book, you will meet the scientific pioneers who first attempted to quantify and understand the vast diversity of these tropical forests, as well as their successors, who utilize modern tools and technologies...
The mystique of the rainforest has captured the imaginations of generations of young people, explorers, authors, and biologists. It is a delicate ecos...
Chemical reactions and interactions between molecules are commonly considered the basis of life, and thus the biochemical nature of cells and organisms is relatively well recognized. Research conducted in recent years, however, increasingly indicates that physical forces profoundly affect the functioning of life at all levels of its organization. To detect and to respond to such forces, plant cells and plants need to be structured mechanically. This volume focuses on mechanical aspects of plant life. It starts with a consideration of the mechanical integration of supracellular structures and...
Chemical reactions and interactions between molecules are commonly considered the basis of life, and thus the biochemical nature of cells and organism...
Plants cannot move away from their environments. As a result, all plants that have survived to date have evolved sophisticated signaling mechanisms that allow them to perceive, respond, and adapt to constantly changing environmental conditions. Among the many cellular processes that respond to environmental changes, elevation of calcium levels is by far the most universal messenger that matches primary signals to cellular responses. Yet it remains unclear how calcium, a simple cation, translates so many different signals into distinct responses - how is the "specificity" of signal-response...
Plants cannot move away from their environments. As a result, all plants that have survived to date have evolved sophisticated signaling mechanisms...
A multiplicity of biotrophic micro-organisms interact with plants in nature, forming symbiotic relationships that range from mutualism to antagonism. Microorganisms that have adopted biotrophy as a lifestyle are able to colonize the plant and often to cross the plant cell boundaries by forming intracellular structures that are the site of nutrient uptake/exchange. To establish themselves within plant tissues, both mutualistic and pathogenic biotrophs need to overcome the plant defense response through an exchange of molecular signals. Our knowledge of the nature of these signals and their...
A multiplicity of biotrophic micro-organisms interact with plants in nature, forming symbiotic relationships that range from mutualism to antagonism. ...
Sequencing projects have revealed the presence of at least several hundred receptor kinases in a typical plant genome. Receptor kinases are therefore the largest family of primary signal transducers in plants, and their abundance suggests an immense signaling network that we have only just begun to uncover. Recent research findings indicate that individual receptor kinases fulfill important roles in growth and development, in the recognition of pathogens and symbionts or, in a few examples, in both growth and defense. This volume will focus on the roles of receptor kinases, their signaling...
Sequencing projects have revealed the presence of at least several hundred receptor kinases in a typical plant genome. Receptor kinases are therefo...
