Tissue-specific inactivation by cytosine deaminase/uracil phosphoribosyl transferase as a tool to study plant biology.

Recent advances in the study of plant developmental and physiological responses have benefited from tissue-specific approaches, revealing the role of some cell types in these processes. Such approaches have relied on the inactivation of target cells using either toxic compounds or deleterious genes; however, both tissue-specific and truly inducible tools are lacking in order to precisely target a developmental window or specific growth response. We engineered the yeast fluorocytosine deaminase (FCY1) gene by creating a fusion with the bacterial uracil phosphoribosyl transferase (UPP) gene.

14-3-3 Proteins in Guard Cell Signaling.

Guard cells are specialized cells located at the leaf surface delimiting pores which control gas exchanges between the plant and the atmosphere. To optimize the CO2 uptake necessary for photosynthesis while minimizing water loss, guard cells integrate environmental signals to adjust stomatal aperture. The size of the stomatal pore is regulated by movements of the guard cells driven by variations in their volume and turgor.