The woodland strawberry had its genome sequenced, thanks to a worldwide effort. Weizmann scientists made a major contribution in mapping the genes and gene families responsible for the strawberry's flavor and aroma. The woodland strawberry is unique in its intense, concentrated aroma and flavor, and mapping the genes will hopefully help clarify how these substances are produced. For example, the scientists discovered that a small family of enzymes is responsible for the production of a group of about 100 aromas. It is hoped that the newly sequenced genome will help scientists understand how to return the flavors and aromas that have been lost over years of breeding in the cultivated cousin of the wild strawberry.

read more...

In nature, a revolutionary process occurs on a routine basis – whenever plant seeds shift from a dormant state to that of germination. This transition – the germination revolution – has an enormous impact on agriculture: The greater the proportion of germinating seeds and the faster their germination, the bigger the harvest. Weizmann Institute scientists have conducted pioneering studies on the germination revolution, focusing on the molecular mechanisms that cause the abrupt switch to germination of the seed. In one study, the scientists discovered that a group of genes involved in the molecular process called selective autophagy, which involves the dismantling of proteins, also takes part in controlling germination.

read more...

Weizmann Institute scientists joined a one-month Atlantic research cruise to investigate the life cycles of the trillions of tiny, single-celled, plant-like creatures that float in the ocean's waters. These creatures, called phytoplankton, are the basis of the marine food chain: Without them, there would be no life in the oceans and not enough oxygen to support life on our planet. The research trip was designed to investigate the role phytoplankton play in the environment. One of the interesting phenomena related to phytoplankton is that they sometimes multiply very rapidly, initiating algal blooms that can extend for hundreds of kilometers. And then, all at once, the bloom collapses and disappears. Weizmann Institute scientists discovered that viruses cause algal bloom collapse via the cell's programmed cell death sequence, called apoptosis.

read more...