Circadian clock makes sure plant cells have the time of their lives
When it comes to cell cycle progression and differentiation, time truly is everything. Japanese scientists have now discovered that the circadian clock is essential for healthy plant development. The circadian clock directs plant cell differentiation, according to a study from the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) that was published in the journal Cell Reports. The cell cycle and changes in cell fate are both regulated by the circadian clock. Numerous multicellular creatures have demonstrated the role of circadian clocks in the differentiation process, although it is still unknown how circadian clocks in plants control cell differentiation. For Motomu Endo, senior author of the study, "elucidating how the circadian clock is engaged in cell differentiation is vital to understand the basis of cell fate determination." However, because it is difficult to separate individual plant cells and because current analytical techniques rely on "pseudo-time" analy...