Development of the plant shoot is dependent on the shoot apical meristem. Interactions between KNOX homeodomain transcription factors and the myb domain transcription factor AS1 (ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1) regulate both meristem function as well as leaf patterning. This review summarizes these interactions.

background aloe vera l. is an important pharmaceutical plant from which several medicinal and cosmetic compounds are extracted. aloe is naturally propagated through offset, which is a slow and expensive labor cost method with low economical income. objectives in this study, the effect of different media on shoot proliferation of the shoot tip of aloe vera l. was investigated. materials and meth...

Computer simulations similar to actual trees were constructed using simple branching rules. Branch orientation with respect to the direction of gravity was a fundamental consideration. In Cornus kousa BUERG. ex HANCE, several types of branches develop from winter buds, varying from orthotropic shoots to plagiotropic ones. Based on actual observations and measurements of branching structures wit...

The pattern of senescence was studied by following the changes in chlorophyll and protein in the leaves and by measuring (32)P retention and export from source to sink during development of the rice plant (Oryza sativa L. cv. Jaya) subjected to different manipulative treatments. With the advance of reproductive development, the chronological sequence of leaf senescence was changed, so that the ...

Local auxin concentration maxima promote organ initiation in the plant shoot meristem, but how auxin peaks are formed has remained unclear. A new study proposes a cellular Matthew effect, where auxin is pumped into those cells that have higher concentrations.

The higher-plant shoot meristem is a dynamic structure whose maintenance depends on the coordination of two antagonistic processes, organ initiation and self-renewal of the stem cell population. In Arabidopsis shoot and floral meristems, the WUSCHEL (WUS) gene is required for stem cell identity, whereas the CLAVATA1, 2, and 3 (CLV) genes promote organ initiation. Our analysis of the interaction...

The developmental plasticity of organisms is a natural consequence of adaptation. Classical approaches targeting developmental processes usually focus on genetics as the essential factor underlying phenotypic differences. However, such differences are often based on the inherent plasticity of developmental programs. Due to their dependence on environmental stimuli, plants represent ideal experi...

Contamination of heavy metals represents one of the most pressing threats to water and soil resources as well as human health. Phytoremediation can be potentially used to remediate metal-contaminated sites. This study evaluated the potential of 36plants (17species) growing on a contaminated site in North Florida. Plants and the associated soil samples were collected and analyzed for total metal...

ArisaemajacquemontiiBlume (Araceae) is reputed for its physiological properties in the folk medicine system and used in Chinese herbal medicine as anti-convulsant. Methanolic extracts of roots and fruits, the chloroform extracts of roots and shoots of ArisaemajacquemontiiBlume were investigated for immunomodulatory,antileishmanialand phytotixic activities. Immunomodulatory activitywas investiga...