Publications by authors named "Fernanda A L Silva-Alvim"

Stomata are microscopic pores at the surface of plant leaves that facilitate gaseous diffusion to support photosynthesis. The guard cells around each stoma regulate the pore aperture. Plants that carry out C photosynthesis are usually more resilient than C plants to stress, and their stomata operate over a lower dynamic range of CO within the leaf.

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Gas exchange across the stomatal pores of leaves is a focal point in studies of plant-environmental relations. Stomata regulate atmospheric exchange with the inner air spaces of the leaf. They open to allow CO entry for photosynthesis and close to minimize water loss.

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Accurately measuring the ability of the K/HDEL receptor (ERD2) to retain the ER cargo Amy-HDEL has questioned earlier results on which the popular receptor recycling model is based upon. Here we demonstrate that ERD2 Golgi-retention, rather than fast ER export supports its function. Ligand-induced ERD2 redistribution is only observed when the C-terminus is masked or mutated, compromising the signal that prevents Golgi-to-ER transport of the receptor.

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Stomata of plant leaves open to enable CO entry for photosynthesis and close to reduce water loss via transpiration. Compared with photosynthesis, stomata respond slowly to fluctuating light, reducing assimilation and water use efficiency. Efficiency gains are possible without a cost to photosynthesis if stomatal kinetics can be accelerated.

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Stomata of most plants close to preserve water when the demand for CO by photosynthesis is reduced. Stomatal responses are slow compared with photosynthesis, and this kinetic difference erodes assimilation and water-use efficiency under fluctuating light. Despite a deep knowledge of guard cells that regulate the stoma, efforts to enhance stomatal kinetics are limited by our understanding of its control by foliar CO.

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Article Synopsis
  • Membrane voltage is created by the movement of ions through ATPases, transporters, and channels, serving as a key component for bioenergetics and signal transduction.
  • The understanding of membrane voltage includes its roles in various potential types (action, systemic, and variation), influencing transport and communication within and between cells.
  • Voltage acts as both a driving force for ion transport and a result of charge movement, impacting signaling pathways and contributing to responses like gene expression and resistance to environmental stress.
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Accumulation of soluble proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) of plants is mediated by a receptor termed ER RETENTION DEFECTIVE2 (ERD2) or K/HDEL receptor. Using two gain-of-function assays and by complementing loss of function in , we discovered that compromising the lumenal N terminus or the cytosolic C terminus with fluorescent fusions abolishes its biological function and profoundly affects its subcellular localization. Based on the confirmed asymmetrical topology of ERD2, we engineered a new fluorescent ERD2 fusion protein that retains biological activity.

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