Scientist Discover How Plants Grow

Two teams working separately in Indiana and England recently announced the discovery of how indoleacetic acid, a plant auxin, stimulates growth. Both teams recently released reports showing that the auxin combines with a protein called TIR1 to activate the genes involved in growth. After growth has been stimulated, the auxin detaches from the protein and the gene returns to inhibiting growth.

The finding is sure to stimulate more research and could lead to major discoveries in plant science. In the future biotechnology labs may be able to engineer plants with larger fruit or faster timber production.

Plant auxins play many roles besides influencing growth. The discovery is a first step to understanding their function.

Links:

• At long last, scientists figure out how plants grow a press release from Indiana University


• How Your Garden Grows from Kansas City infoZine

Posted by Eric La Fountaine at 3:29 PM on June 22, 2005

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