The interaction networks of small rubber particle proteins in the latex of reveal diverse functions in stress responses and secondary metabolism.

The Russian dandelion () is a promising source of natural rubber (NR). The synthesis of NR takes place on the surface of organelles known as rubber particles, which are found in latex - the cytoplasm of specialized cells known as laticifers. As well as the enzymes directly responsible for NR synthesis, the rubber particles also contain small rubber particle proteins (SRPPs), the most abundant of which are SRPP3, 4 and 5.

Activation of the native PHYTOENE SYNTHASE 1 promoter by modifying near-miss cis-acting elements induces carotenoid biosynthesis in embryogenic rice callus.

Modification of silent latent endosperm-enabled promoters (SLEEPERs) allows the ectopic activation of non-expressed metabolic genes in rice callus Metabolic engineering in plants typically involves transgene expression or the mutation of endogenous genes. An alternative is promoter modification, where small changes in the promoter sequence allow genes to be switched on or off in particular tissues. To activate silent genes in rice endosperm, we screened native promoters for near-miss cis-acting elements that can be converted to endosperm-active regulatory motifs.

Epigenetic variation in early and late flowering plants of the rubber-producing Russian dandelion Taraxacum koksaghyz provides insights into the regulation of flowering time.

The Russian dandelion (Taraxacum koksaghyz) grows in temperate zones and produces large amounts of poly(cis-1,4-isoprene) in its roots, making it an attractive alternative source of natural rubber. Most T. koksaghyz plants require vernalization to trigger flower development, whereas early flowering varieties that have lost their vernalization dependence are more suitable for breeding and domestication.

COL2-dependent photoperiodic floral induction in seems to be lost in the × hybrid .

Introduction: Plants are sessile organisms that maximize reproductive success by adapting to their environment. One of the key steps in the reproductive phase of angiosperms is flower development, requiring the perception of multiple endogenous and exogenous signals integrated via a complex regulatory network. Key floral regulators, including the main transcription factor of the photoperiodic pathway (CONSTANS, CO) and the central floral pathway integrator (FLOWERING LOCUS T, FT), are known in many species.

Overexpression of a pseudo-etiolated-in-light-like protein in leads to a pale green phenotype and enables transcriptome-based network analysis of photomorphogenesis and isoprenoid biosynthesis.

Introduction: Plant growth and greening in response to light require the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophylls and carotenoids, which are derived from isoprenoid precursors. In , the pseudo-etiolated-in-light phenotype is caused by the overexpression of (), which regulates chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthetic genes.

Methods: We investigated a homologous protein in the Russian dandelion () to determine its influence on the rich isoprenoid network in this species, using a combination of analysis, gene overexpression, transcriptomics and metabolic profiling.