“We found that even in the presence of growth hormones, even if we raise the temperature, plants will not grow without siRNA.”said Meng Chen, co-author of the study.
The researchers took rhubarb, a small-flowered plant, and studied mutant forms with very low miRNA levels. Without siRNA, mutant Resicum would not be able to respond with growth to temperature changes as it should. They then ran a genetic experiment to see if they could restore the ability to sense temperature by “squeezing” the gene. They got it.
The team of scientists also put together a “complete picture” of the plants’ temperature response; it contains two main parts: molecules that determine temperature, and auxin, a hormone that stimulates plant growth to make you respond to what is determined.
Source: Ferra
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