post-transcriptional regulation

Molecular mechanisms of metal toxicity and transcriptional/post-transcriptional regulation in plant model systems

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Plants face serious damage from heavy metals like cadmium, arsenic, and chromium in contaminated soils and water. Scientists are discovering how plants defend themselves through changes in gene expression, special proteins that trap metals, and modifications to their DNA that control stress response genes. Understanding these natural defense mechanisms could help us develop crops that survive in polluted environments and remove heavy metals from contaminated areas, making food safer and protecting human health.

Plant–Fungi Mutualism, Alternative Splicing, and Defense Responses: Balancing Symbiosis and Immunity

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Fungi form beneficial partnerships with plant roots, helping plants absorb nutrients and resist stress. A key process called alternative splicing allows cells to make different versions of proteins from the same genes, fine-tuning how plants and fungi cooperate. This review explains how alternative splicing acts like a molecular switch that balances the plant’s immune system with accepting the beneficial fungus, and how understanding this could help farmers grow healthier crops with less chemical fertilizers.

Orthrus: a Pumilio-family gene involved in fruiting body and dark stipe development in Coprinopsis cinerea

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Scientists studied a gene called ort2 in a common lab mushroom species to understand how mushrooms develop their fruiting bodies. They found that this gene is particularly important for developing dark stipes – elongated structures that mushrooms grow in darkness to push themselves toward light. By turning this gene off or increasing its activity, researchers could control how many dark stipes formed, suggesting this gene could have practical applications in mushroom farming.

Orthrus: a Pumilio-family gene involved in fruiting body and dark stipe development in Coprinopsis cinerea

mycolabadmin

Scientists studied a gene called ort2 in mushrooms that controls how fruiting bodies develop, especially the long structures called dark stipes that form in darkness. They found that when this gene is active, mushrooms make more of these elongated forms, while disabling it prevents dark stipe formation. This discovery could help improve mushroom cultivation for species where these elongated forms are commercially valuable.

ELAV/Hu RNA-binding protein family: key regulators in neurological disorders, cancer, and other diseases

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ELAV/Hu proteins are molecular machines that control how cells read and use genetic instructions. Found mostly in the brain and nervous system, these proteins help manage which genes get turned on or off, which is crucial for proper brain development and function. When these proteins go wrong, they can contribute to serious diseases like Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, cancer, and autism, making them promising targets for new treatments.

Unveiling microRNA-like small RNAs implicated in the initial infection of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense through small RNA sequencing

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Researchers discovered specific small RNA molecules produced by the fungus that causes banana wilt disease. These molecular signals, particularly one called milR106, are critical for the fungus’s ability to infect and damage banana plants. By understanding how these molecules work, scientists can develop better strategies to protect banana crops from this devastating disease that threatens global banana production.

The expression of fungal CotH, human glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), and predicted miRNAs in macrophages and diabetic mice infected with Rhizopus oryzae

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Mucormycosis is a serious fungal infection caused by Rhizopus oryzae that is particularly dangerous for people with diabetes. This study shows that a fungal protein called CotH3 attaches to a human cell receptor called GRP78, allowing the fungus to invade cells more easily in diabetic patients. The research found that diabetes increases GRP78 production, making fungal invasion more likely, while antifungal treatment (liposomal amphotericin B) can reduce the expression of both CotH3 and GRP78.

Argonaute1-Dependent LtmilR2 Negatively Regulated Infection of Lasiodiplodia theobromae by Targeting a Guanine Nucleotide Exchange Factor in RAS Signalling

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Scientists discovered a small RNA molecule called LtmilR2 in a fungus that causes grape canker disease. This molecule naturally suppresses the fungus’s ability to infect grapes. By delivering this molecule or similar RNA duplexes to the fungus, researchers were able to inhibit its growth and infection, suggesting a new type of biological fungicide that could protect vineyards without chemical pesticides.

Plant–Fungi Mutualism, Alternative Splicing, and Defense Responses: Balancing Symbiosis and Immunity

mycolabadmin

Fungi and plants form partnerships that help plants grow better and resist stress, with fungi receiving sugars from plants in return for nutrients from the soil. This review explains how a cellular process called alternative splicing acts like a molecular switch that lets plants accept beneficial fungi while keeping the ability to fight off harmful pathogens. Understanding this balance could help farmers grow healthier crops with less chemical pesticides and fertilizers.

Research Keyword: post-transcriptional regulation