A new START.

A recent article in New Phytologist discusses the discovery that the lipid lysophosphatidylcholine (lyso-PC) binds to a lipid sensor domain of the transcription factor PROTODERMAL FACTOR2 (PDF2), which plays a role in cell elongation and gene transcription in response to phosphate starvation in plants. This suggests a metabolic feedback mechanism that connects lysophospholipids to changes in growth. The study also found that PDF2 functions as a lyso-PC sensor and can control gene expression by sensing lipids, similar to how nuclear receptors work in animals. These findings have implications for understanding how plants regulate growth and gene expression. The article also discusses the role of lyso-PC and PDF2 in plant responses to phosphate starvation, including the activation of phospholipases and the accumulation of triacylglycerols. The article raises questions about the interaction between lyso-PC and PDF2, the involvement of PDF2 in other stress responses, and the binding of different lipids by PDF2. The research was supported by various foundations. [Extracted from the article]