January 16, 2024 04:43 pm | Updated 04:43 pm ISTYou probably don’t think about plant roots all that much – they’re hidden underground after all. Scientists discovered about 15 years ago that genes at the root tip (or more precisely, the level of proteins produced from some genes) seem to pulsate. What we do know is this oscillation is a basic mechanism underlying the growth of roots. We know auxin moves from cell to cell via an intricate network of transporter proteins. A branch of mathematics developed in the 19th century called Dynamical Systems Theory (DST), has given scientists some clarity about why plant roots oscillate.

Source: The Hindu January 17, 2024 01:55 UTC