Metabolites are the end products of cellular regulatory processes, and their levels can be regarded as the ultimate response of biological systems to genetic or environmental changes. In parallel to the terms ‘transcriptome’ and ‘proteome’, the set of metabolites synthesized by a biological system constitute its ‘metabolome’. Yet, unlike other functional genomics approaches, the unbiased simultaneous identification and quantification of plant metabolomes has been largely neglected. Until recently, most analyses were restricted to profiling selected classes of compounds, or to fingerprinting metabolic changes without sufficient analytical resolution to determine metabolite levels and identities individually. As a prerequisite for metabolomic analysis, careful consideration of the methods employed for tissue extraction, sample preparation, data acquisition, and data mining must be taken. In this review, the differences among metabolite target analysis, metabolite profiling, and metabolic fingerprinting are clarified, and terms are defined. Current approaches are examined, and potential applications are summarized with a special emphasis on data mining and mathematical modelling of metabolism.

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1023%2FA%3A1013713905833.pdf

Metabolomics - the link between genotypes and phenotypes

Heat tolerance in plants: An overview

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits distribution,andreproductioninanymedium,providedtheoriginalauthorandsourcearecredited.Thislicensedoesnot permit commercial exploitation or the creation of derivative works without specific permission.

For more than 200 years, the plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) has been studied for its medicinal use in humans. However, its extensive signaling role in plants, particularly in defense against pathogens, has only become evident during the past 20 years. This review surveys how SA in plants regulates both local disease resistance mechanisms, including host cell death and defense gene expression, and systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Genetic studies reveal an increasingly complex network of proteins required for SA-mediated defense signaling, and this process is amplified by several regulatory feedback loops. The interaction between the SA signaling pathway and those regulated by other plant hormones and/or defense signals is also discussed.

Salicylic Acid, a multifaceted hormone to combat disease.

Genetic programming (GP) is a systematic, domain-independent method for getting computers to solve problems automatically starting from a high-level statement of what needs to be done. Using ideas from natural evolution, GP starts from an ooze of random computer programs, and progressively refines them through processes of mutation and sexual recombination, until high-fitness solutions emerge. All this without the user having to know or specify the form or structure of solutions in advance. GP has generated a plethora of human-competitive results and applications, including novel scientific discoveries and patentable inventions. This unique overview of this exciting technique is written by three of the most active scientists in GP. See www.gp-field-guide.org.uk for more information on the book.

/pdf/a-field-guide-to-genetic-programming-3wkkmsw81n.pdf

A Field Guide to Genetic Programming

Background and aims
After a series of seminal works during the last decade of the 20th century, nitric oxide (NO) is now firmly placed in the pantheon of plant signals. Nitric oxide acts in plant–microbe interactions, responses to abiotic stress, stomatal regulation and a range of developmental processes. By considering the recent advances in plant NO biology, this review will highlight certain key aspects that require further attention.

/pdf/nitric-oxide-in-plants-an-assessment-of-the-current-state-of-44v7w1chrf.pdf

Nitric oxide in plants: an assessment of the current state of knowledge

Hormones in plants differ from most of those in animals by having pleiotropic effects; that is, they are involved in the control of a wide range of developmental processes. At the same time the effect of a hormone on any developmental process depends on the species. For example, ethylene inhibits growth in dicotyledons and most monocotyledons but is promotory in deepwater rice and other hydrophytes. Moreover, two or more hormones can interact synergistically or antagonistically in many circumstances. Equally, any given hormone may affect the biosynthesis or metabolism of another, thus affecting endogenous levels. The issue is further complicated by the fact that environmental factors e.g. light, water status, wounding, pathogens may modify responses and indeed hormone levels themselves. The reason for this appears to be that hormones (and growth regulators) and environmental factors share many components in their transduction chains (i.e. the very early events which occur after the signal abiotic or biotic is perceived by the plant tissue). These transduction chains interact to produce an integrated response.

Plant Growth Regulators II: Cytokinins, their Analogues and Antagonists

The Components of Plant Tissue Culture Media I: Macro- and Micro-Nutrients

Plant defence against pests and pathogens is known to be conferred by either salicylic acid (SA) or jasmonic acid (JA)/ethylene (ET) pathways, depending on infection or herbivore-grazing strategy. It is well attested that SA and JA/ET pathways are mutually antagonistic allowing defence responses to be tailored to particular biotic stresses. Nitric oxide (NO) has emerged as a major signal influencing resistance mediated by both signalling pathways but no attempt has been made to integrate NO into established SA/JA/ET interactions. NO has been shown to act as an inducer or suppressor of signalling along each pathway. NO will initiate SA biosynthesis and nitrosylate key cysteines on TGA-class transcription factors to aid in the initiation of SA—dependent gene expression. Against this, S-nitrosylation of NONEXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED PROTEINS1 (NPR1) will promote the NPR1 oligomerisation within the cytoplasm to reduce TGA activation. In JA biosynthesis, NO will initiate the expression of JA biosynthetic enzymes, presumably to over-come any antagonistic effects of SA on JA-mediated transcription. NO will also initiate the expression of ET biosynthetic genes but a suppressive role is also observed in the S –nitrosylation and inhibition of s-adenosylmethionine transferases which provides methyl groups for ethylene production. Based on these data a model for NO action is proposed but we have also highlighted the need to understand when and how inductive and suppressive steps are used.

/pdf/integrating-nitric-oxide-into-salicylic-acid-and-jasmonic-2glfynw83r.pdf

Michael A. Hall

Papers

Nitric oxide in plants: an assessment of the current state of knowledge

Plant Growth Regulators II: Cytokinins, their Analogues and Antagonists

The Components of Plant Tissue Culture Media I: Macro- and Micro-Nutrients

Integrating nitric oxide into salicylic acid and jasmonic acid/ ethylene plant defense pathways.

Micropropagation: Uses and Methods