STANFORD, Calif., Jan. 28 (UPI) -- Both animals and plants use steroid hormones to signal cells to grow but the signaling process in plants is more complicated, California researchers found.
In animals, hormone reception starts in the nucleus of the cell. In plants the hormones work first on the surface of the cell. They trigger a complicated chain-reaction of signals -- a bucket-brigade of activity -- that works its way into the cell's nucleus and activates specific genes telling the cell to grow. Scientists recently discovered a segment of the protein BZR1, located in the plant cell nucleus, is a part of this process.
"We found a key component in this complex chain reaction in the cell nucleus that promotes cell growth," said co-author Zhi-Yong Wang, of Carnegie's Department of Plant Biology in Stanford, Calif.
The research could aid understanding of how to manipulate the signaling machinery to increase plant growth and yield.
A paper detailing the study is published in the January 27 Science Express.
