We finished Genetics last night. Genetics is Chapter 2 of General Biology 2, our current textbook writing project. We still have two more chapters to write.
Whenever we finish a chapter, it is our habit to return to earlier chapters, re-read and re-write them again. One technical writing issue we are often confused about is when to use comma. Yes our friends, something as seemingly innocuous as a comma is a cause of so much confusion on our part.
We wish to share with you some of our pieces in Chapter 1 on Plant Feedback Mechanism.
Plant’s hypersensitive response
One of the immediate defense mechanisms adopted by plants to stop microbial infection is hypersensitive response (HR). It is among the most marvelous adaptive strategies in nature, it deserves our special attention. To put it short, through HR plants stops invading microbial pathogens from infecting the larger parts of plant tissues by deliberately sacrificing infected cells in a process called apoptosis. During apoptosis, affected cells receive instruction from the plant’s DNA to begin self-destruction.
Plant DNA contains resistance genes (R genes), genes which give plants disease resistance to pathogens. An R gene is a strand of protein whose structure evolved to fit pathogens. If pathogens come in contact with the plant, R genes lock into the intruder like an enzyme locking into a substrate.
Activation of R genes triggers plant cells to produce a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and nitrous oxides which damage the lipids of cell membranes. This results in the death of cells leaving behind a trace of lesions and blotches of dead cells on the surface of plant tissues.
Figure 1.23 Hypersensitive Response
Whenever we finish a chapter, it is our habit to return to earlier chapters, re-read and re-write them again. One technical writing issue we are often confused about is when to use comma. Yes our friends, something as seemingly innocuous as a comma is a cause of so much confusion on our part.
We wish to share with you some of our pieces in Chapter 1 on Plant Feedback Mechanism.
Plant’s hypersensitive response
One of the immediate defense mechanisms adopted by plants to stop microbial infection is hypersensitive response (HR). It is among the most marvelous adaptive strategies in nature, it deserves our special attention. To put it short, through HR plants stops invading microbial pathogens from infecting the larger parts of plant tissues by deliberately sacrificing infected cells in a process called apoptosis. During apoptosis, affected cells receive instruction from the plant’s DNA to begin self-destruction.
Plant DNA contains resistance genes (R genes), genes which give plants disease resistance to pathogens. An R gene is a strand of protein whose structure evolved to fit pathogens. If pathogens come in contact with the plant, R genes lock into the intruder like an enzyme locking into a substrate.
Activation of R genes triggers plant cells to produce a burst of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide, hydroxyl radicals, and nitrous oxides which damage the lipids of cell membranes. This results in the death of cells leaving behind a trace of lesions and blotches of dead cells on the surface of plant tissues.
Figure 1.23 Hypersensitive Response