Researchers from the
University of California Riverside (UC Riverside) discovered the
second gene involved in temperature
sensing in plants that could promote food security amidst
climate change.
The researchers modified
a completely temperature-insensitive mutant Arabidopsis to make it
reactive to temperature again. Upon examining the genes of the
twice-mutated plant, they found a new gene, RCB, with products
that work closely with HEMERA, the first gene they discovered to
stabilize the heat-sensing function. These genes are distributed
in the nucleus and chloroplasts. Both genes work together to
control a group of master gene regulators that serve multiple
functions such as reacting to temperature, growth, flowering, and
greening of plants.
The discovery of the
second gene could help researchers develop heat-tolerant plants
that can endure the adverse effects of climate change.
Discovery
is key to creating heat-tolerant crops | News (ucr.edu)