Plant Protein Governs Growth Process

U.S. researchers have found a protein complex that switches on a plant’s growth machinery and they said it can help them learn more about planet-cell growth.

Researchers at Purdue University said the protein complex, called Actin Related Protein 2/3 or ARP2/3, triggers communication between molecules along a pathway that leads to the creation of long protein strings. The strings, called actin filaments, are necessary for cell growth.

Actin filaments also are important for cell movement. They organize the inside of the cell and allow it to grow, and they determine where certain structures in a cell are positioned and how the cell responds to gravity and light.

Knowledge of the biochemical reactions involved in this process could allow researchers to design plants better able to protect themselves from insects and disease.