Jasmonate Signaling


Book Description

It is now well established that jasmonates, originally identified as the major component of jasmine scent, play a universal role in the plant kingdom and are involved in the regulation of diverse aspects of plant biology, including growth, development, metabolism, and interaction with the environment. In Jasmonate Signaling: Methods and Protocols, experts in the field aim to unite powerful emerging omics platforms with a number of key reductionist approaches to form a comprehensive collection of tools and protocols. The detailed chapters in this book embrace physiological, environmental, molecular, omics, and bioinformatics approaches that allow dissecting jasmonate actions in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana or in other plants. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters feature introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, along with tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and cutting-edge, Jasmonate Signaling: Methods and Protocols will empower interested researchers to dissect all steps of jasmonate signaling and the processes they modulate.




Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions


Book Description

This book, divided into 13 chapters, explores recent discoveries in the area of molecular plant-microbe interactions. It focuses mainly on the mechanisms controlling plant disease resistance and the cross talk among the signalling pathways involved, and the strategies used by fungi and viruses to suppress these defences. Two chapters deal with the role of symbionts (such as the symbiotic actinobacteria and vesicular arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) during their interactions with plants.




Lipids in Plant and Algae Development


Book Description

This book summarizes recent advances in understanding the functions of plant and algal lipids in photosynthesis, in development and signaling, and in industrial applications. As readers will discover, biochemistry, enzymology and analytical chemistry, as well as gene knock-out studies have all contributed to our rapidly increasing understanding of the functions of lipids. In the past few decades, distinct physical and biochemical properties of specific lipid classes were revealed in plant and algal lipids and the functional aspects of lipids in modulating critical biological processes have been uncovered. These chapters from international authors across relevant research fields highlight the underlying evolutionary context of lipid function in photosynthetic unicellular and multicellular organisms. The book goes on to encompass what lipids can do for industrial applications at a time of fascination with plants and algae in carbon fixation and as sources for production of food, energy and novel chemicals. The developmental context is a part of the fresh and engaging perspective that is presented in this work which graduate students and scientists will find both illuminating and useful.




Hormone Metabolism and Signaling in Plants


Book Description

Plant Hormones: Biosynthesis and Mechanisms of Action is based on research funded by the Chinese government's National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC). This book brings a fresh understanding of hormone biology, particularly molecular mechanisms driving plant hormone actions. With growing understanding of hormone biology comes new outlooks on how mankind values and utilizes the built-in potential of plants for improvement of crops in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner. This book is a comprehensive description of all major plant hormones: how they are synthesized and catabolized; how they are perceived by plant cells; how they trigger signal transduction; how they regulate gene expression; how they regulate plant growth, development and defense responses; and how we measure plant hormones. This is an exciting time for researchers interested in plant hormones. Plants rely on a diverse set of small molecule hormones to regulate every aspect of their biological processes including development, growth, and adaptation. Since the discovery of the first plant hormone auxin, hormones have always been the frontiers of plant biology. Although the physiological functions of most plant hormones have been studied for decades, the last 15 to 20 years have seen a dramatic progress in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of hormone actions. The publication of the whole genome sequences of the model systems of Arabidopsis and rice, together with the advent of multidisciplinary approaches has opened the door to successful experimentation on plant hormone actions. - Offers a comprehensive description of all major plant hormones including the recently discovered strigolactones and several peptide hormones - Contains a chapter describing how plant hormones regulate stem cells - Offers a fresh understanding of hormone biology, particularly molecular mechanisms driving plant hormone actions - Discusses the built-in potential of plants for improvement of crops in an environmentally friendly and sustainable manner




Jasmonates and Salicylates Signaling in Plants


Book Description

Demand for agricultural crops and nutritional requirement continues to escalate in response to increasing population. Also, climate change exerts adverse effects on agriculture crop productivity. Plant researchers have, therefore, focused to identify the scientific approaches that minimize the negative impacts of climate change on agricultural crops. Thus, it is the need of the hour to expedite the process for improving stress tolerance mechanisms in agricultural crops against various environmental factors, in order to fulfil the world’s food demand. Among the various applied approaches, the application of phytohormones has gained significant attention in inducing stress tolerance mechanisms. Jasmonates are phytohormones with ubiquitous distribution among plants and generally considered to modulate many physiological events in higher plants such as defence responses, flowering and senescence. Also, jasmonates mediate plant responses to many biotic and abiotic stresses by triggering a transcriptional reprogramming that allows cells to cope with pathogens and stresses. Likewise, salicylates are important signal molecules for modulating plant responses to environmental stresses. Salicylic acid influences a range of diverse processes in plants, including seed germination, stomatal closure, ion uptake and transport, membrane permeability and photosynthetic and growth rate. Understanding the significant roles of these phytohormones in plant biology and from agriculture point of view, the current subject has recently attracted the attention of scientists from across the globe. Therefore, we bring forth a comprehensive book “Jasmonates and Salicylates Signalling in Plants” highlighting the various prospects involved in the current scenario. The book comprises chapters from diverse areas dealing with biotechnology, molecular biology, proteomics, genomics, metabolomics, etc. We are hopeful that this comprehensive book furnishes the requisite of all those who are working or have interest in this topic.




Plant Cell Death Processes


Book Description

Programmed cell death is a common pattern of growth and development in both animals and plants. However, programmed cell death and related processes are not as generally recognized as central to plant growth. This is changing fast and is becoming more of a focus of intensive research. This edited work will bring under one cover recent reviews of programmed cell death, apoptosis and senescence.Summaries of the myriad aspects of cell death in plantsDiscussion of the broadest implications of these disparite resultsA unification of fields where there has been no cross talkEnables easy entry into diverse but related lines of research




Senescence and Aging in Plants


Book Description

Senescence and Aging in Plants reviews the state of knowledge in the processes involved in plant senescence and aging. The book begins by discussing the emergence of senescence as a concept; experimental analysis of senescence; and patterns of senescence. It then examines membrane deterioration during senescence; photosynthesis in relation to leaf senescence; senescence of detached plant organs; changing patterns of nucleic acid and protein synthesis during senescence; and degradative and associated assimilatory aspects of nitrogen removal. This is followed by chapters on aspects of ethylene that may impinge upon its role in promoting senescence of higher plants; the role of cytokinins in plant senescence; the promoters and retardants of senescence; and the role of calcium in plant senescence. The concept of whole plant senescence is discussed, which can be subdivided into patterns, correlative controls, cessation of vegetative growth, declining assimilatory processes, assimilate partitioning, and hormonal controls. The final chapters cover the deterioration of cellular membranes during the plant aging process and seed aging.




Tobacco BY-2 Cells


Book Description

The first compilation of a wealth of knowledge on tobacco BY-2 cells, often cited as the HeLa cell line of higher plants. Basic issues of cell cycle progression, cytokinesis, cell organization and factors that are involved in these processes are covered in detail. Since the tobacco cell line is used as a tool for research in molecular and cellular biology, several chapters on such studies are also included. Further, changes of primary and secondary metabolites during culture and factors that affect these processes are treated. Last but not least, the so far unpublished historical background of the BY-2 cell line is described. This volume is a must for any scientist working in the field of plant biology.




Protective Chemical Agents in the Amelioration of Plant Abiotic Stress


Book Description

A guide to the chemical agents that protect plants from various environmental stressors Protective Chemical Agents in the Amelioration of Plant Abiotic Stress offers a guide to the diverse chemical agents that have the potential to mitigate different forms of abiotic stresses in plants. Edited by two experts on the topic, the book explores the role of novel chemicals and shows how using such unique chemical agents can tackle the oxidative damages caused by environmental stresses. Exogenous application of different chemical agents or chemical priming of seeds presents opportunities for crop stress management. The use of chemical compounds as protective agents has been found to improve plant tolerance significantly in various crop and non-crop species against a range of different individually applied abiotic stresses by regulating the endogenous levels of the protective agents within plants. This important book: Explores the efficacy of various chemical agents to eliminate abiotic stress Offers a groundbreaking look at the topic and reviews the most recent advances in the field Includes information from noted authorities on the subject Promises to benefit agriculture under stress conditions at the ground level Written for researchers, academicians, and scientists, Protective Chemical Agents in the Amelioration of Plant Abiotic Stress details the wide range of protective chemical agents, their applications, and their intricate biochemical and molecular mechanism of action within the plant systems during adverse situations.




Plant Chemical Biology


Book Description

Demonstrates how advances in plant chemical biology can translate to field applications With contributions from a team of leading researchers and pioneers in the field, this book explains how chemical biology is used as a tool to enhance our understanding of plant biology. Readers are introduced to a variety of chemical biology studies that have provided novel insights into plant physiology and plant cellular processes. Moreover, they will discover that chemical biology not only leads to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of plant biology, but also the development of practical applications. For example, the authors discuss small molecules that can be used to identify targets of herbicides and develop new herbicides and plant growth regulators. The book begins with a historical perspective on plant chemical biology. Next, the authors introduce the chemical biology toolbox needed to perform successful studies, with chapters covering: Sources of small molecules Identification of new chemical tools by high-throughput screening (HTS) Use of chemical biology to study plant physiology Use of chemical biology to study plant cellular processes Target identification Translation of plant chemical biology from the lab to the field Based on the latest findings and extensively referenced, the book explores available compound collections, principles of assay design, and the use of new research tools for the development of new applications. Plant Chemical Biology is recommended for students and professionals in all facets of plant biology, including molecular biology, physiology, biochemistry, agriculture, horticulture, and agronomy. All readers will discover new approaches that can lead to the development of a healthier and more plentiful global food supply.