Illuminated foliar aging mechanism

2009/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Biokimika
• Genetika

A genetic mechanism causes the leaves cells of the trees to die individually and eventually leave until the entire leaf falls, according to some genetics from the University of Science and Technology Pohang of South Korea.

To reach this conclusion, two varieties of the Arabidopsis plant were analyzed. One was mutant and another wild. In the mutant they lasted longer without falling the leaves. The genetics sought genetic differences between the two plants and found them in a specific gene, ORE1.

Researchers have found that as cells accumulate in the protein cells that encode the ORE1 gene, the cells lose chlorophyll and, in general, the leaves grow older. In young leaf cells, a certain microRNA prevents the expression of the ORE1 gene, so they are not aged. However, with the passage of time the microRNA is disappearing and the protein of the mentioned gene increases.