Improved pokeweed genome assembly and early gene expression changes in response to jasmonic acid.

Background: Jasmonic acid (JA) is a phytohormone involved in regulating responses to biotic and abiotic stress. Although the JA pathway is well characterized in model plants such as Arabidopsis thaliana, less is known about many non-model plants. Phytolacca americana (pokeweed) is native to eastern North Americana and is resilient to environmental stress.

Abasic RNA: its formation and potential role in cellular stress response.

RNA is integral to gene expression as messenger RNA (mRNA), transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) each play roles to transmit information from DNA into synthesis of functional proteins. During their lifespan, these nucleic acids may be chemically modified by alkylation, oxidation and the removal of bases, which alters their activity. Though much research has been devoted to the detection and repair of damaged DNA, RNA is viewed as a short-lived molecule that is quickly degraded upon damage.