Smoke-derived karrikins reveal a new pathway for plant development

该项目旨在研究最近发现的植物信号系统，该系统需要一种未知的激素来调节种子萌发和幼苗生长。燃烧的植物产生karrikins，通过最近发现的植物蛋白质发出信号来促进种子发芽。植物不产生karrikins，这种蛋白质的损伤会导致种子休眠增加和叶片生长异常，这表明karrikins模拟了一种未知的植物激素，调节植物发育的这些方面。该项目旨在鉴定这种植物激素并阐明其生物合成途径。这种新的植物生长调节剂的鉴定将是植物科学的一个重大进步，并可能在恢复生态学，杂草控制和食品生产方面创造新的机会。

This project aims to investigate a recently discovered signalling system in plants that requires an unknown hormone to regulate seed germination and seedling growth. Burning vegetation produces karrikins that promote seed germination by signalling through a recently identified plant protein. Plants do not make karrikins and impairments to this protein results in increased seed dormancy and abnormal leaf growth, suggesting karrikins mimic an unknown plant hormone that regulates these aspects of plant development. The project aims to identify this phytohormone and elucidate its biosynthetic pathway. The identification of this new plant growth regulator would be a major advance for plant science and may create new opportunities in restoration ecology, weed control and food production.