Article Abstract:
The induction of flowering among higher plants can follow two regulatory pathways. The first pathway involves the perception of environmental signals such as photoperiods, soil moisture and temperature. The other pathway involves the developmental state of the plant. Among plants that flower in response to photoperiod changes, the hypothesis is that the leaves secrete florigen, a substance or a combination of substances that induces the shoot apical meristem to develop into flowers. This biochemical characteristic of this florigen remains to be elucidated.
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Article Abstract:
A study shows that the conserved eukaryote protein, yeast Hct1, is vital component to the proteolysis pathway. Proteolytic substrates such as G1 cyclins were found to be short-lived and Clb2 was found to cause DNA replication in hct1 mutants. Results indicate that cyclin-dependent kinase inhibition may reduce the adverse effects of cyclin proteolysis defects. Hct1 and related Cdc20 may also act as substrate-specific proteolysis regulators during mitosis.
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Article Abstract:
Ab initio phasing procedure was utilized to describe the crystal structure of Asp-171, the third component of the caseinolytic Clp protease (ClpP) catalytic triad. Electron density mapping results revealed that ClpP subunits have a unique fold around a conserved serine protease structure. The central proteolytic chamber contained the hydrophilic active sites. It was suggested that CplP mediated the restructuring of substrate access.
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