Research
Looping DNA may help flowers grow nectar-producing organs
Phys.org ·
The Brief
- Nectaries are specialized floral tissues that secrete nectar to attract pollinators.
- The protein CRABS CLAW (CRC) is established as essential for nectary formation.
- The exact molecular mechanisms by which CRC drives nectary organ growth and secretion were previously unknown; the headline suggests looping DNA may be involved.
Why it matters
Nectaries help plants attract pollinators, so understanding how their formation is genetically controlled adds to basic knowledge of plant reproduction and floral development.
Who’s affected
- plant biologists and developmental geneticists
- #plant biology
- #nectaries
- #gene regulation
- #flower development
- #pollination
Nectaries are specialized floral tissues that secrete nectar to attract pollinators. Although the protein CRABS CLAW (CRC) is established as essential for nectary formation, the exact molecular mechanisms governing how it drives organ growth and secretion have remained unknown.