Natural History Wanderings

The  New York Times had story about a protein called Clasp that determines the direction of growth in plants.  Structures called  microtubules  help cell grows by  capturing, storing and moving plant material. Scientists have known about microtubules for about half a century, but only recently discovered what determines the direction of growth.

A report in the journal Nature Communications describes how Clasp has  strong concentrations around the edges of new plant cells. Clasp helps microtubules  make their way around the difficult cell edges to support plant growth. Read more at:  A Protein Called Clasp Directs Plant Cells How to Grow – NYTimes.com.