In another study about the switch to flowering (p. 1693), Lars Hennig and colleagues investigate the protein MULTICOPY SUPRESSOR OF IRA1 (MSI1). MSI1 is a component of the fertilization independent seed complex (FIS), which resembles the Drosophila Polycomb complex PRC2. The process of flowering is controlled by three main pathways that converge to regulate a protein called SOC1, which is repressed by the potent flowering inhibitor FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC). First, the authors showed that MSI1 activates the floral transition: msi1 mutants had a late flowering phenotype, and transgenic plants with increased MSI1 levels flowered early. Then, analysis of msi1 soc1 double mutants demonstrated that MSI1 acts upstream of SOC1. But by what mechanism? Because FIS is involved in chromatin regulation,they investigated this using chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays, and found that MSI1 is required for the H3K4 methylation and H3K9 acetylation of SOC1 chromatin. Chromatin modifications are known to...
The Company of Biologists Workshops
For the last 15 years, our publisher, The Company of Biologists, has provided an apt environment to inspire biology and support biologists through our Workshops series. Read about the evolution of the Workshop series and revisit JEB's experience with hosting the first Global South Workshop.
Call for papers – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues
Development invites you to submit your latest research to our upcoming special issue – Lifelong Development: the Maintenance, Regeneration and Plasticity of Tissues. This issue will be coordinated by Guest Editors Meritxell Huch (Max Planck Institute of Molecular Cell Biology and Genetics, Germany) and Mansi Srivastava (Harvard University and Museum of Comparative Zoology, USA), working alongside our team of academic Editors. Submit your articles by 30 May 2025.
Meet our 2025 Pathway to Independence (PI) fellows
We are delighted to announce our third cohort of PI fellows - researchers whom we will be supporting as they transition from postdoc to Principal Investigator. Read about the eight talented fellows chosen, whom we're excited to be working with as they navigate the job market.
A case for broadening our view of mechanism in developmental biology
In this Perspective, B. Duygu Özpolat and colleagues survey researchers on their views on what it takes to infer mechanism in developmental biology. They examine what factors shape our idea of what we mean by ‘mechanism’ and suggest a path forward that embraces a broad outlook on the diversity of studies that advance knowledge in our field.
the Node: Have your say
Our community site, the Node, is conducting a user survey about the content and the design of the site. Help us shape the Node's future and thank you for being a part of the Node over the last 15 years.
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