Plant Research (Biology and Medicine)

 

<span><span><span><span><span>A bitter aftertaste</span></span></span></span></span>

An enzyme originating from the basic metabolism controls the formation of important antibodies in tomatoes more

<span><span><span><span>Switching leaf shapes</span></span></span></span>

Researchers discover a genetic switch in plants that can turn simple spoon-shaped leaves into complex leaves with leaflets more

Finding the balance in the plant immune response

Researchers describe novel regulatory mechanism that keeps plant immune responses in check more

<span><span><span><span><span>The seed of parental conflict</span></span></span></span></span>

Scientists discover key regulators of seed development in a parental stalemate more

How salt stress weakens plants

Salty soils make plants susceptible to the toxic effects of bacteria  more

Mitosis instead of Meiosis

Researchers breed tomato plants that contain the complete genetic material of both parent plants more

Scientists capture the full spectrum of genetic diversity

Large variation in gene content contributes to diversity within a species more

A gene for the male sex

Brown algae and animals have taken a similar approach to sex determination more

Researchers solve mystery of how minimalist plant immune molecules become activated<br /> 

Researchers solve mystery of how minimalist plant immune molecules become activated
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Kiwi vine leaf close-up with visible damage from Pseudomomas syringae pathogen

The bacterium Pseudomonas syringae, which is widespread in agriculture, acquires new capabilities thanks to mobile genetic elements more

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<span><span><span><span>Switching leaf shapes</span></span></span></span>

Researchers discover a genetic switch in plants that can turn simple spoon-shaped leaves into complex leaves with leaflets more

Mitosis instead of Meiosis

Researchers breed tomato plants that contain the complete genetic material of both parent plants more

Yew tree with fruits. Paclitaxel and its precursors are produced in the needles and bark of various trees in the genus Taxus.

Researchers have identified the steps for the biosynthesis of the chemotherapeutic agent for cancer therapy more

Chloroplast from the father

Under cold conditions, not only the mother plant but also the father plant can pass on its chloroplasts to the offspring more

Breakthrough in plant breeding

Grafting and mobile CRISPR for genome editing in plants more

Heavy infestation by waterhemp strongly reduces corn growth (right rows) compared to corn plants that do not have to compete with waterhemp (left rows)

How intensive agriculture turned a wild plant into a pervasive weed more

Leibniz Prize 2023 for Sarah Ellen O'Connor

Director at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena honoured for her discoveries on plant natural product biosynthesis more

“We can try to guide evolution into another direction”

In our interview, Luca Schulz, Georg Hochberg and Tobias Erb explain why knowing the history of proteins might help create alternatives for the future more

Back to the future of photosynthesis

Resurrecting billon-year-old enzymes reveals how photosynthesis adapted to the rise of oxygen more

Biosynthesis of strychnine elucidated

Researchers from Jena show how the poison nut tree forms strychnine more

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Scientific highlights 2022

Scientific highlights 2022

December 14, 2022

Many publications by Max Planck scientists in 2022 were of great social relevance or met with a great media response. We have selected 12 articles to present you with an overview of some noteworthy research of the year more

Detlef Weigel

An interview with Detlef Weigel about his discovery that cells prevent particularly important genes from mutating more

“The only things you want to conserve are the things you know”

Jana Wäldchen has played a key role in developing the plant identification app, Flora Incognita. We discussed with her how being able to identify different plants contributes to species diversity, which plant species are particularly under threat and how non-native species are suppressing local plants more

Life on the edge prepares plants for climate change

Genetic variability supports plant survival during droughts more

Unique wheat discovery in Bronze Age lunch box

Container found in the Swiss Alps leads researchers to new analysis method more

A parasite involved in the plant alarm system

Host plants communicate warning signals through a parasite network, when insects attack more

Symbiotic bacteria: from hitchhiker to beetle bodyguard

Bacterial symbionts transition between plant pathogenicity and insect defensive mutualism more

Bergamotene—alluring and lethal for <em>Manduca sexta</em>

The volatile compound bergamotene increases the moths’ pollination success and protects tobacco leaves against their voracious offspring more

Enhancing leaf shape diversity

A small piece of DNA with a large effect on leaf shape more

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Synthetic Chloroplast Production using a Microfluidic platform

Cell-sized droplets equipped with natural and synthetic parts are able to perform photosynthesis. In the future, they could serve as bioreactors for the sustainable, light driven fixation of CO2 into value-added compounds. more

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