Impact of the TOR pathway on plant growth via cell wall remodeling.

Plant growth is intimately linked to the availability of carbon and energy status. The Target of rapamycin (TOR) pathway is a highly relevant metabolic sensor and integrator of plant-assimilated C into development and growth. The cell wall accounts for around a third of the cell biomass, and the investment of C into this structure should be finely tuned for optimal growth.

Exploring Potential Surrogate Systems for Studying the Early Steps of the Pathogenesis.

Despite its global importance as a primary source of table sugar and bioethanol, sugarcane faces a significant threat to its production due to diseases. One of these diseases, sugarcane smut, involves the emergence of a whip-like structure from the host apical shoot. The slow onset of this pathogenesis is the most substantial challenge for researchers to investigate the molecular events leading to resistance or susceptibility.

Bacterial volatile organic compounds (VOCs) promote growth and induce metabolic changes in rice.

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) represent an eco-friendly alternative to reduce the use of chemical products while increasing the productivity of economically important crops. The emission of small gaseous signaling molecules from PGPB named volatile organic compounds (VOCs) has emerged as a promising biotechnological tool to promote biomass accumulation in model plants (especially ) and a few crops, such as tomato, lettuce, and cucumber. Rice () is the most essential food crop for more than half of the world's population.

Plant Proteomics and Systems Biology.

Proteome analysis of model and non-model plants is a genuine scientific field in expansion. Several technological advances have contributed to the implementation of different proteomics approaches for qualitative and quantitative analysis of the dynamics of cellular responses at the protein level. The design of time-resolved experiments and the emergent use of multiplexed proteome analysis using chemical or isotopic and isobaric labeling strategies as well as label-free approaches are generating a vast amount of proteomics data that is going to be essential for analysis of protein posttranslational modifications and implementation of systems biology approaches.

Proteogenic Dipeptides Are Characterized by Diel Fluctuations and Target of Rapamycin Complex-Signaling Dependency in the Model Plant .

As autotrophic organisms, plants capture light energy to convert carbon dioxide into ATP, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH), and sugars, which are essential for the biosynthesis of building blocks, storage, and growth. At night, metabolism and growth can be sustained by mobilizing carbon (C) reserves. In response to changing environmental conditions, such as light-dark cycles, the small-molecule regulation of enzymatic activities is critical for reprogramming cellular metabolism.

Shedding Light on the Dynamic Role of the "Target of Rapamycin" Kinase in the Fast-Growing C Species , a Suitable Model for Biomass Crops.

The Target of Rapamycin (TOR) kinase pathway integrates energy and nutrient availability into metabolism promoting growth in eukaryotes. The overall higher efficiency on nutrient use translated into faster growth rates in C grass plants led to the investigation of differential transcriptional and metabolic responses to short-term chemical TOR complex (TORC) suppression in the model . In addition to previously described responses to TORC inhibition (i.

Applying Molecular Phenotyping Tools to Explore Sugarcane Carbon Potential.

Sugarcane ( spp.), a C grass, has a peculiar feature: it accumulates, gradient-wise, large amounts of carbon (C) as sucrose in its culms through a complex pathway. Apart from being a sustainable crop concerning C efficiency and bioenergetic yield per hectare, sugarcane is used as feedstock for producing ethanol, sugar, high-value compounds, and products (e.

Plant Cell Wall Proteomics: A Focus on Monocot Species, , spp. and .

Plant cell walls mostly comprise polysaccharides and proteins. The composition of monocots' primary cell walls differs from that of dicots walls with respect to the type of hemicelluloses, the reduction of pectin abundance and the presence of aromatic molecules. Cell wall proteins (CWPs) differ among plant species, and their distribution within functional classes varies according to cell types, organs, developmental stages and/or environmental conditions.

Cell wall proteome of sugarcane stems: comparison of a destructive and a non-destructive extraction method showed differences in glycoside hydrolases and peroxidases.

Background: Sugarcane has been used as the main crop for ethanol production for more than 40 years in Brazil. Recently, the production of bioethanol from bagasse and straw, also called second generation (2G) ethanol, became a reality with the first commercial plants started in the USA and Brazil. However, the industrial processes still need to be improved to generate a low cost fuel.

Cell wall proteomics of sugarcane cell suspension cultures.

The use of cell walls to produce cellulosic ethanol from sugarcane bagasse is a new challenge. A better knowledge of proteins involved in cell wall remodelling is essential to improve the saccharification processes. Cell suspension cultures were used for this first cell wall proteomics study of sugarcane.

Agrobacterium-mediated transformation of Guignardia citricarpa: an efficient tool to gene transfer and random mutagenesis.

Guignardia citricarpa is the causal agent of Citrus Black Spot (CBS), an important disease in Citriculture. Due to the expressive value of this activity worldwide, especially in Brazil, understanding more about the functioning of this fungus is of utmost relevance, making possible the elucidation of its infection mechanisms, and providing tools to control CBS. This work describes for the first time an efficient and successful methodology for genetic transformation of G.