Kouki Yoshida

TL;DR: New light is shed on the genetic mechanisms underpinning key orchid innovations, including the development of the labellum and gynostemium, pollinia, and seeds without endosperm, as well as the evolution of epiphytism; reveals relationships between the Orchidaceae subfamilies; and helps clarify the evolutionary history of orchids within the angiosperms.

TL;DR: The first draft genome sequence of a lithophytic orchid, Dendrobium catenatum, is reported, predicting 28,910 protein-coding genes, and finding evidence of a whole genome duplication shared with Phalaenopsis.

TL;DR: It is demonstrated that the rice transcription factors SECONDARY WALL NAC DOMAIN PROTEINs (SWNs) can regulate secondary wall formation in rice and manipulation of OsSWNs may enable improvements in monocotyledonous crops for forage or biofuel applications.

TL;DR: Scientists have successfully replaced the secondary cell wall in Arabidopsis xylem fibres with a thick primary cell wall by specifically overexpressing AP2/ERF transcription factors, indicating that the group IIId and IIIe AP2 /ERFs are transcription factors regulatingPrimary cell wall deposition and could form the foundation for exchanging one cell wall type for another in plants.

TL;DR: It is hypothesized that cellulase participates primarily in repairing or arranging cellulose microfibrils during cellulose biosynthesis in plants, and a scheme for the roles of plant cellulose and cellulases is proposed.