Paladin, a tyrosine phosphatase-like protein, is required for -mediated immunity in rice.

encodes a rice immune receptor that confers robust resistance to most strains of the Gram-negative bacterium pv. ()-mediated immunity is triggered by recognition of a small protein called RaxX-sY (required for activation of -mediated immunity X, tyrosine-sulfated) secreted by To identify components regulating -mediated immunity, we generated and screened a mutant population of fast-neutron-mutagenized rice expressing for those susceptible to . Here, we report the characterization of one of these rice mutants, named ().

Adapted Biotroph Manipulation of Plant Cell Ploidy.

Diverse plant biotrophs that establish a sustained site of nutrient acquisition induce localized host endoreduplication. Endoreduplication is a process by which cells successively replicate their genomes without mitosis, resulting in an increase in nuclear DNA ploidy. Elevated ploidy is associated with enhanced cell size, metabolic capacity, and the capacity to differentiate.

Atypical E2F transcriptional repressor DEL1 acts at the intersection of plant growth and immunity by controlling the hormone salicylic acid.

In plants, the activation of immunity is often inversely correlated with growth. Mechanisms that control plant growth in the context of pathogen challenge and immunity are unclear. Investigating Arabidopsis infection with the powdery mildew fungus, we find that the Arabidopsis atypical E2F DEL1, a transcriptional repressor known to promote cell proliferation, represses accumulation of the hormone salicylic acid (SA), an established regulator of plant immunity.

Selection and phenotypic characterization of a core collection of Brachypodium distachyon inbred lines.

Background: The model grass Brachypodium distachyon is increasingly used to study various aspects of grass biology. A large and genotypically diverse collection of B. distachyon germplasm has been assembled by the research community.

Brachypodium sylvaticum, a model for perennial grasses: transformation and inbred line development.

Perennial species offer significant advantages as crops including reduced soil erosion, lower energy inputs after the first year, deeper root systems that access more soil moisture, and decreased fertilizer inputs due to the remobilization of nutrients at the end of the growing season. These advantages are particularly relevant for emerging biomass crops and it is projected that perennial grasses will be among the most important dedicated biomass crops. The advantages offered by perennial crops could also prove favorable for incorporation into annual grain crops like wheat, rice, sorghum and barley, especially under the dryer and more variable climate conditions projected for many grain-producing regions.

Development of SSR markers and analysis of diversity in Turkish populations of Brachypodium distachyon.

Background: Brachypodium distachyon (Brachypodium) is rapidly emerging as a powerful model system to facilitate research aimed at improving grass crops for grain, forage and energy production. To characterize the natural diversity of Brachypodium and provide a valuable new tool to the growing list of resources available to Brachypodium researchers, we created and characterized a large, diverse collection of inbred lines.

Results: We developed 84 inbred lines from eight locations in Turkey.

Quantitative PCR based expression analysis on a nanoliter scale using polymer nano-well chips.

The analysis of gene expression is an essential element of functional genomics. Expression analysis is mainly based on DNA microarrays due to highly parallel readout and high throughput. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) based expression profiling is the gold standard for the precise monitoring of selected genes, and therefore used for validation of microarray data.

Reflectometric interference spectroscopy combined with MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry to determine quantitative and qualitative binding of mixtures of vancomycin derivatives.

This paper describes the combination of matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry with label free bio-interaction analysis based on reflectometric interference spectroscopy (RIfS). The potential of this concerted approach is demonstrated by measuring the binding properties of different vancomycin-type glycopeptide antibiotic mixtures. Although RIfS is sensitive and does not require use of a label, it cannot determine which components of a mixture have bound to the surface after incubation.