Plant growth protein discovered
Academia Sinica researchers yesterday announced the discovery of a plant protein that enhances growth during drought, which offers the possibility of making more crops drought-resistant, as well as biotechnology applications.
A team led by associate research fellow Paul Verslues found a protein in Arabidopsis thaliana — an edible mustard green — that, when overexpressed, can promote growth when water is limited.
The team was the first in the world to discover the protein, At14a like1 (ALF1), and its ability to stimulate growth when a plant is under drought stress, Verslues said.
When its performance is doubled or tripled, ALF1 enhances plant growth by 60 to 70 percent when the plant is given reduced watering — up to a two-thirds decrease in normal water supply, he said.
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