OTU5 tunes environmental responses by sustaining chromatin structure.

Phenotypic plasticity is dependent on the correct interpretation of environmental cues. We recently showed that the deubiquitinase OTU5 is required for orchestrating internal and external signals, tuning the morphogenesis of epidermal cells to the prevailing conditions. Homozygous otu5 mutants developed long and dense root hairs, resembling phosphate-deficient plants.

Necroptosis promotes autophagy-dependent upregulation of DAMP and results in immunosurveillance.

Programmed necrosis, necroptosis, is considered to be a highly immunogenic activity, often mediated via the release of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Interestingly, enhanced macroautophagic/autophagic activity is often found to be accompanied by necroptosis. However, the possible role of autophagy in the immunogenicity of necroptotic death remains largely obscure.

Supraoptimal activity of CHLOROPHYLL DEPHYTYLASE1 results in an increase in tocopherol level in mature arabidopsis seeds.

Tocopherols are synthesized in photosynthetic organisms, playing a role in plant stress tolerance. Recent studies showed that the phytol moiety of tocopherols comes from the salvaged phytol chain during chlorophyll degradation. However, the enzyme(s) responsible for chlorophyll dephytylation remains unclear.

Asymmetric bulges and mismatches determine 20-nt microRNA formation in plants.

Plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are predominantly 21 nucleotides (nt) long but non-canonical lengths of 22 and 20 nt are commonly observed in diverse plant species. While miRNAs longer than 21 nt can be attributed to the neglect of unpaired bases within asymmetric bulges by the ruler function of dicer-like 1 (DCL1), how 20-nt miRNA is generated remains obscure. Analysis of small RNA data revealed that 20-nt miRNA can be divided into 3 main groups featured by atypical 3' overhangs or shorter duplex regions.