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Guercio et al., combine structural biology, biochemistry, and plant biology to reveal the dual functions of evolutionarily diverged Pisum KAI2A and KAI2B as both receptors and enzymes with distinct ligand selectivity, and propose adaptive sensitivity to strigolactone phytohormones by KAI2B. They reported the structures of KAI2 in apo and ligand intermediate -bound states that further illuminate KAI2s catalysis mechanism.

Strigolactones (SLs) are intriguing phytohormones that not only regulate plant development and architecture but also interact with other organisms in the rhizosphere as root parasitic plants (Striga, Orobanche, and Phelipanche) and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Starting with a pioneering work in 2003 for the isolation and identification of the SL receptor in parasitic weeds, fluorescence labeling of analogs has proven a major strategy to gain knowledge in SL perception and signaling. Here, we present novel chemical tools for understanding the SL perception based on the enzymatic properties of SL receptors. We designed different profluorescent SL Guillaume Clavé (GC) probes and performed structure-activity relationship studies on pea, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Physcomitrium (formerly Physcomitrella) patens. The binding of the GC probes to PsD14/RMS3, AtD14, and OsD14 proteins was tested. We demonstrated that coumarin-based profluorescent probes were highly bioactive and well-adapted to dissect the enzymatic properties of SL receptors in pea and a resorufin profluorescent probe in moss, contrary to the commercially available fluorescein profluorescent probe, Yoshimulactone Green (YLG). These probes offer novel opportunities for the studies of SL in various plants.

Strigolactones (SLs) are well known for their role in repressing shoot branching. In pea, increased transcript levels of SL biosynthesis genes are observed in stems of highly branched SL deficient (ramosus1 (rms1) and rms5) and SL response (rms3 and rms4) mutants indicative of negative feedback control. In contrast, the highly branched rms2 mutant has reduced transcript levels of SL biosynthesis genes. Grafting studies and hormone quantification led to a model where RMS2 mediates a shoot-to-root feedback signal that regulates both SL biosynthesis gene transcript levels and xylem sap levels of cytokinin exported from roots. Here we cloned RMS2 using synteny with Medicago truncatula and demonstrated that it encodes a putative auxin receptor of the AFB4/5 clade. Phenotypes similar to rms2 were found in Arabidopsis afb4/5 mutants, including increased shoot branching, low expression of SL biosynthesis genes and high auxin levels in stems. Moreover, afb4/5 and rms2 display a specific resistance to the herbicide picloram. Yeast-two-hybrid experiments supported the hypothesis that the RMS2 protein functions as an auxin receptor. SL root feeding using hydroponics repressed auxin levels in stems and down-regulated transcript levels of auxin biosynthesis genes within one hour. This auxin down-regulation was also observed in plants treated with the polar auxin transport inhibitor NPA. Together these data suggest a homeostatic feedback loop in which auxin up-regulates SL synthesis in an RMS2-dependent manner and SL down-regulates auxin synthesis in an RMS3 and RMS4-dependent manner.

Novel silsesquioxane thin films were conveniently synthesized by the sol–gel route under mild conditions. Thus, a sol was prepared from 4,4′-bis(triethoxysilyl)-1,1′-biphenyl (4,4′-BTEBp) under a hydroalcoholic medium without a surfactant, deposited by spin-coating on silica supports, and dried at 280 °C. The resulting biphenylene-bridged films exhibited very smooth surfaces, excellent mechanical behavior and no cracks. Moreover, SEM and TEM studies showed flawless, homogeneous interfaces with silica substrates. The acoustic waveguide properties of these films on piezoelectric quartz microsensors were investigated at high frequency through a network analyzer. For an optimal thickness close to 1 μm, a marked frequency shift of the main broad lobe and a decrease of the insertion loss were observed. These results show a strong effect of the waveguide for trapping the acoustic energy, promising an unprecedented ability to provide a new generation of sensors. The capability of this device in the detection of mass is also demonstrated through the immobilization of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA). This novel approach appears very promising in view of the development of surface acoustic wave sensors and biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]