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2 clusters · 4 sources · 9 days · First seen · Last updated

Plant protein mechanism for heat resistance

Overview

Researchers have identified a molecular mechanism that enables plants to manage extreme heat by regulating stomata, the microscopic pores on leaf surfaces.

Studies involving the model organism Arabidopsis thaliana revealed that a protein named UBP24 plays a critical role in this thermal stress response. When temperatures rise, a regulatory protein stabilizes UBP24 through chemical modification, which then acts on a cell membrane proton pump to promote the opening of stomata. This process allows plants to cool themselves through water evaporation, acting as a “biological relief valve,” even though it results in water loss.

Collaborative research from VIB, Ghent University, and KU Leuven suggests this evolutionary mechanism is significant for food security and climate change adaptation. Understanding this pathway provides a potential method for developing heat-resistant crops capable of surviving more frequent and intense heatwaves.

Entities

Ghent University · VIB · KU Leuven

Timeline

  1. 10 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Researchers discover plant protein mechanism for heat resistance

    Researchers have discovered that the UBP24 protein helps plants survive heatwaves by regulating stomata to enable evaporative cooling, offering new ways to strengthen crop resilience.

  2. 19 days ago

    [TECHNOLOGY] 2 sources
    Molecular mechanism identified to help plants withstand heat

    A study in Nature Plants identifies a molecular pathway involving the UBP24 protein that helps plants regulate stomata to cool themselves during high temperatures.

Sources

ciencias.uy · laquotidienne.fr · okdiario.com · vinetur.com