How a protein complex in plant chloroplasts regulates adaptations to drought

How a protein complex in plant chloroplasts regulates adaptations to drought

A heretofore unknown molecular mechanism helps plants save water in extreme drought and intense sunlight. A research team at Heidelberg University's Center for Organismal Studies (COS), in cooperation with partners at Nanjing Agricultural University (China), has discovered that a protein complex—the cysteine synthase complex—serves as a sensor in the chloroplasts. It receives and forwards stress signals and ensures that the hormone abscisic acid…