Carbon-concentrating mechanisms in pods are key elements for terminal drought resistance in Phaseolus vulgaris.

Common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is one of the most consumed legumes in the human diet and a substantial source of dietary protein. A major problem for this rainfed crop is the decrease in grain yield caused by prolonged drought periods during the reproductive stage of plant development (terminal drought).

Contrasting Crop Water Use Patterns and Stomatal Dynamics in Response to Terminal Drought.

Terminal drought stress affects more than half of the areas planted with common bean (), the main food legume globally, generating severe yield losses. Phenotyping water deficit responses and water use are central strategies to develop improved terminal drought resilience. The exploration and exploitation of genetic diversity in breeding programs are gaining importance, with a particular interest in related species with great adaptation to biotic and abiotic factors.

Improved protocol for isolation of high-quality total RNA from different organs of Phaseolus vulgaris L.

A modified protocol was developed to obtain high-quality total RNA from various mature organs, including leaves, seeds, pods and testae, from different cultivars of Phaseolus vulgaris L. grown under optimal conditions or subjected to severe drought; stress conditions leading to the accumulation of numerous secondary metabolites can affect RNA quality. This modified procedure is based on CTAB extraction protocols.

Two aspartate residues at the putative p10 subunit of a type II metacaspase from Nicotiana tabacum L. may contribute to the substrate-binding pocket.

Metacaspases are cysteine proteases present in plants, fungi, prokaryotes, and early branching eukaryotes, although a detailed description of their cellular function remains unclear. Currently, three-dimensional (3D) structures are only available for two metacaspases: Trypanosoma brucei (MCA2) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Yca1). Furthermore, metacaspases diverged from animal caspases of known structure, which limits straightforward homology-based interpretation of functional data.