PLANT BIOLOGY Going Forth to Multiply

Self-incompatibility, which assures cross-fertilization in plants, has many similarities to other eukaryotic self-nonself recognition systems. Molecular components involved in the self-incompatibility response in Brassica have been identified on the surface of both pollen and receptive stigma. Murase et al. (see the Perspective by Goring and Walker) have now identified another key component in the pathway, the membrane-anchored kinase MLPK, that functions early in the responsive signal transduction cascade after pollen encounters a stigma epidermis cell.

K. Murase, H. Shiba, M. Iwano, F.-S. Che, M. Watanabe, A. Isogai, S. Takayama, A membrane-anchored protein kinase involved in Brassica self-incompatibility signaling. Science 303, 1516-1519 (2004). [Abstract] [Full Text]

D. R. Goring, J. C. Walker, Self-rejection--a new kinase connection. Science 303, 1474-1475 (2004). [Summary] [Full Text]

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In Science Magazine

PERSPECTIVES
PLANT SCIENCES:
Self-Rejection--a New Kinase Connection

Daphne R. Goring and John C. Walker (5 March 2004)
Science 303 (5663), 1474. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1095764]
 |  Summary »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »

REPORTS
A Membrane-Anchored Protein Kinase Involved in Brassica Self-Incompatibility Signaling

Kohji Murase, Hiroshi Shiba, Megumi Iwano, Fang-Sik Che, Masao Watanabe, Akira Isogai, and Seiji Takayama (5 March 2004)
Science 303 (5663), 1516. [DOI: 10.1126/science.1093586]
 |  Abstract »  |  Full Text »  |  PDF »  |  Supporting Online Material »