Chemical Signal Helps Plants Control Their “Breathing”

Plant stomata, tiny pores on a leaf's surface, allow for gas exchange and so are critical for plant growth. Carbon dioxide enters and becomes energy and biomass for the plant; oxygen exits and becomes the air we breath. But stomata also have a cost - when the pores are open, plants lose water, which can be a lethal problem in hot, dry conditions. Because stomata are so important, Biology professor Keiko Torii and her students have been working on figuring out the genetic control of their development. A new paper just published in Genes & Development (which also showcases the work on its cover!) reveals some newly discovered components in the complex puzzle of stomatal patterning. What's more, Torii partnered with colleagues in the UW Materials Science and Engineering Department to figure it out! Click here to read more about this exciting new research in HHMI News.