Disentangling the different selective forces shaping the evolutionary dynamics of transposable elements (TEs) in the wild grass Brachypodium distachyon.

The establishment of Ustilago bromivora and Brachypodium as a biotrophic model system provides the foundation for studying new aspects of plant-pathogen interactions and for answering questions about fungal sex and speciation.

Offspring of plants selected at low and high plant diversity differently respond to global change drivers (nitrogen enrichment, drought), as reflected by their biomass production and trait expression, whereby plant-soil interactions play a significant role in these processes.

Puzzle-shape cells in the epidermis of many plants form due to a development constraint based on mechanical forces.

Different developmental stages of a venomous animal (e.g. Nematostella vectensis) with a complex life cycle produce vastly different venoms that can serve in different antagonistic interactions with other species.

The HMA domains of Pikp-1 and Pikm-1 NLR receptors have convergently evolved to bind AVR-PikD with high affinity through distinct evolutionary and biochemical paths.

The formation of stomatal 'helper cells' (=subsidiary cells) in grasses requires two opposing polarity domains with diverse roles in establishing division asymmetry.

Comparing maize to its wild ancestor teosinte advances our understanding of how it and other cereal crops evolved, and also identifies the genetic variation that can contribute to important agricultural traits.

Comparative genetics between distant plant species shows that for the PIN auxin transport proteins differential membrane and tissue-level accumulation, transport activity, and interaction result in different functional properties in the shoot post transcription.

A luminescence-based imaging system is presented that allows soil-based environmental stimuli to be studied in root systems under physiologically relevant conditions.