Loss of daylength sensitivity by splice site mutation in Cannabis pseudo-response regulator.

Photoperiod insensitivity (auto-flowering) in drug-type Cannabis sativa circumvents the need for short day (SD) flowering requirements making outdoor cultivation in high latitudes possible. However, the benefits of photoperiod insensitivity are counterbalanced by low cannabinoid content and poor flower quality in auto-flowering genotypes. Despite recent studies in cannabis flowering, a mechanistic understanding of photoperiod insensitivity is still lacking.

Plant NLRs: From discovery to application.

Plants require a complex immune system to defend themselves against a wide range of pathogens which threaten their growth and development. The nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat proteins (NLRs) are immune sensors that recognize effectors delivered by pathogens. The first NLR was cloned more than twenty years ago.

N-terminal modifications contribute to flowering time and immune response regulations.

A variety of N-terminal co-translational modifications play crucial roles in many cellular processes across eukaryotic organisms. Recently, N-terminal acetylation has been proposed as a regulatory mechanism for the control of plant immunity. Analysis of an N-terminal acetyltransferase complex A (NatA) mutant, naa15-1, revealed that NatA controls the stability of immune receptor Suppressor of NPR1, Constitutive 1 (SNC1) in an antagonistic fashion with NatB.

Two N-terminal acetyltransferases antagonistically regulate the stability of a nod-like receptor in Arabidopsis.

Nod-like receptors (NLRs) serve as immune receptors in plants and animals. The stability of NLRs is tightly regulated, though its mechanism is not well understood. Here, we show the crucial impact of N-terminal acetylation on the turnover of one plant NLR, Suppressor of NPR1, Constitutive 1 (SNC1), in Arabidopsis thaliana.

NLRs in plants.

Intracellular immune receptors with nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich domains (NLRs) are found in both plants and animals. Compared to animals, NLR-encoding gene families are expanded, more prevalent and have enriched diversity in higher plants. Strong host defense triggered by the recognition of specific pathogen effectors constitutes a major part of the plant immune response that has long been exploited to breed crops for enhanced resistance.

NLR-associating transcription factor bHLH84 and its paralogs function redundantly in plant immunity.

In plants and animals, nucleotide-binding and leucine-rich repeat domain containing (NLR) immune receptors are utilized to detect the presence or activities of pathogen-derived molecules. However, the mechanisms by which NLR proteins induce defense responses remain unclear. Here, we report the characterization of one basic Helix-loop-Helix (bHLH) type transcription factor (TF), bHLH84, identified from a reverse genetic screen.