The formula helps plants live longer

Molecular biologists of Tuebingen (Germany) have recently discovered a secret that links the development of leaves and the aging process of plants.

Plants that grow more slowly live longer. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Development Biology (Tuebingen, Germany) have recently demonstrated that certain small gene segments called microRNAs are responsible for coordinating leaf development and the process. aging in plants.

These microRNAs inhibit some regulatory factors, or TCP transcription factors. In return, the TCP transcription factor affects the production of jasmonic acid, a plant hormone. The higher the number of microRNAs present, the lower the number of transcription factors that activate, and the smaller the amount of jasmonic acid produced by the plant.

Therefore plants will be 'aged' more slowly because jasmonic hormones are very important for the aging process of plants. Because the amount of microRNAs in plants can be controlled by genetic methods, humans can grow crops longer in the future and grow faster.

MicroRNAs are short, single-stranded genes that regulate other genes. They perform their duties by attaching to additional genetic material areas, thereby preventing the process of reading information in those regions, making genetic products not produced additionally. In plants, micro-RNAs primarily inhibit regulatory factors called transcription factors. The transcription factor can turn on or turn off genes by clinging to DNA fragments, thereby activating or inhibiting to form a lot or very little protein. Because proteins control metabolic processes, an imbalance will cause changes that are very obvious or difficult to see in plants.

Arabidopsis thaliana tree.Biologists have shown that certain small gene segments, called micro-RNAs, are responsible for coordinating leaf development and aging in plants.(Photo: iStockphoto)

Scientists at Detlef Weigel's department at the Max Planck Institute for Development Biology have recently investigated the effects of transcription factors of the TCP family on the development and aging of experimental Arabidopsis thaliana. MicroRNAs miR319 regulate transcription factors.

It has been known that miR319-regulated transcription factors affect plant growth. Based on a combination of genetic analysis and biochemical analysis, researchers have now discovered that transcription factors also regulate genes that are essential for the production of jasmonic acid in the body. object. The higher the number of microRNA miR319 in plants, the lower the number of transcription factors produced, resulting in a lower amount of jasmonic acid synthesis. Plants with high miR319 have a longer development period, aging more slowly than plants containing less miR319 despite growing faster but dying earlier.

Detlef Weigel said: 'Our research shows that transcription factors of microRNA miR319 regulate negative effects on plant growth and lead to premature aging. '. The mechanism discovered here is the foundation for efforts to explain the relationship in genetic regulation in plants. 'Only when we have a deeper understanding of these processes can we create plants with specific characteristics as desired'.