Dynamic photosynthetic labeling and carbon-positional mass spectrometry monitor in vivo Rubisco carbon assimilation rates.

RIBULOSE-1,5-BISPHOSPHATE CARBOXYLASE/OXYGENASE (RUBISCO) is the most abundant enzyme and CO2 bio-sequestration system on Earth. Its in vivo activity is usually determined by 14CO2 incorporation into 3-phosphoglycerate (3PGA). However, the radiometric analysis of 3PGA does not distinguish carbon positions.

Grapevine and maize: Two guard cell shaped strategies to cope with repeated drought stress.

Adaptation of crops to recurrent drought stress is crucial for maintaining agricultural productivity and achieving food security under changing climate. Guard cells, pivotal regulators of plant water usage and assimilation, are central to this adaptation process. However, the metabolic dynamics of guard cells under drought stress remain poorly understood, particularly in grapevine, a prominent crop grown in arid regions, and maize, a staple crop with substantial water requirements.

Detailed Profiling of 17-Hydroxygeranyllinalool Diterpene Glycosides from Species Reveals Complex Reaction Networks of Conjugation Isomers.

Background: Specialised anti-herbivory metabolites are abundant in the solanaceous genus . These metabolites include the large family of 17-hydroxygeranyllinalool diterpene glycosides (HGL-DTGs). Many HGL-DTGs occur exclusively within the genus, but information from the molecular model species , , and the tree tobacco is limited.

Membrane protein provision controls prothylakoid biogenesis in tobacco etioplasts.

The cytochrome b559 heterodimer is a conserved component of photosystem II whose physiological role in photosynthetic electron transfer is enigmatic. A particularly puzzling aspect of cytochrome b559 has been its presence in etiolated seedlings, where photosystem II is absent. Whether or not the cytochrome has a specific function in etioplasts is unknown.

Convergence and molecular evolution of floral fragrance after independent transitions to self-fertilization.

Studying the independent evolution of similar traits provides valuable insights into the ecological and genetic factors driving phenotypic evolution. The transition from outcrossing to self-fertilization is common in plant evolution and is often associated with a reduction in floral attractive features such as display size, chemical signals, and pollinator rewards. These changes are believed to result from the reallocation of the resources used for building attractive flowers, as the need to attract pollinators decreases.