Wood Formation Study Elucidates Plant Growth Mechanism

Researchers at North Carolina State University reported in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that they have discovered a protein that controls a group of genes involved in formation of wood, which includes lignin, the substance that binds fibers together and gives wood its strength. The protein controlled the expression of genes at different levels, and can prevent abnormal plant growth in a manner that has not been observed in other studies.

The protein, which is a spliced variant of the SND1 family, was found located in the cytoplasm outside the cell nucleus, which is quite unusual because transcription factors are often in the nucleus. However, when one protein from its family group is present, the spliced variant was transported into the nucleus binding with the family member, making a new molecule that blocked the expression of the group of proteins.

Get more details about the study at http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2012/08/22/1212977109.full.pdf+html?with-ds=yes.