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LIBRARY OF WORDS. “Other peptides/small proteins are also emerging as important players involved in pollen–pistil crosstalk. Peptides play also major roles during reproduction in animals and lower organisms, for example, acting as pheromones in gamete communication in Chlamydomonas and yeast.” http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674205214608996 View in LinkedIn

THE THIN LINE. “Just as you can personalize your computer and mobile devices, advances in synthetic biology are allowing DNA hackers to personalize biology so that we will be able to use a DNA printer that will allow us "to print out our own treatments." You will be able to search for a flu or cold vaccine and then print out the genetic designs or download the "cure" via a smartphone app.” http://www.computerworld.com/article/2471716/healthcare-it/dna-hackers--synthetic-biology-weaponized-virus--zero-day-exploit-to-infect-your-brain.html View in LinkedIn

CROSSTALK MOLECULES. “Many of the crosstalk molecules identified to date represent various classes of secreted small proteins or peptides. In particular, the huge family of hundreds of CRPs, which has previously been shown to comprise proteins with essential roles in pathogen defense and symbiosis, has now emerged to contain key signaling factors in angiosperm reproduction.” http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674205214608996 View in LinkedIn

NEW PLAGUE. “Some day, when you hear about something going 'viral,' it will not apply to an idea or video but to a DNA hack going viral to infect the masses.” http://www.computerworld.com/article/2471716/healthcare-it/dna-hackers--synthetic-biology-weaponized-virus--zero-day-exploit-to-infect-your-brain.html View in LinkedIn

INCEST BARRIERS. “As many as 50% of angiosperms also possess mechanisms to avoid self-fertilization by using SI to prevent inbreeding. SI provides mechanisms for self-recognition and rejection, and is specified by S-determinant genes at a highly polymorphic, multi-allelic S-locus. Thus, this is a key mechanism involving crosstalk between pollen and pistil.” http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674205214608996 View in LinkedIn

EYE OF NEWT. “In the world of synthetic biology, a world where bits, bytes, atoms and biology mix dreams with nightmare realities, it could be lethal to lag behind in patching potential vulnerabilities” http://www.computerworld.com/article/2471716/healthcare-it/dna-hackers--synthetic-biology-weaponized-virus--zero-day-exploit-to-infect-your-brain.html View in LinkedIn

SINGLE POLLEN TUBE SURVIVES. “In Arabidopsis, typically only a single pollen tube grows towards each ovule. Heterofertilization is likely extremely rare, as only about 1% of ovules attract two or more functional pollen tubes. These numbers indicate that various mechanisms exist in angiosperms to efficiently prevent polyspermy.” http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674205214608996 View in LinkedIn

BEYOND AN INCONVENIENCE. “Bioengineers and security futurists are warning that the day is coming when criminals and bioterrorists hunt for vulnerabilities that will give a new meaning to zero-day exploits. In the future, a weaponized virus will aim to infect you, your brain and body biology, and not just your computer or mobile device.” https://lnkd.in/dtnU-Zp View in LinkedIn

BATTLE OF POLLEN TUBES. “In the grasses, multiple pollen tubes exit the transmitting tract in a race to reach the female gametophyte. The fastest-growing pollen tube penetrates the micropyle and releases its contents into the receptive synergid. Additional pollen tubes seem to be repelled, as heterofertilization, which indicates that sperm cells of two different pollen tubes have fused with both female gametes, is very rare in maize (about 1%).” http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674205214608996 View in LinkedIn

CLOSING THE GATE. “Once double fertilization has been successfully achieved, it is important to establish barriers to prevent the attraction of additional pollen tubes and to prevent the release and fusion of multiple sperm with single gametes.” https://lnkd.in/dWq_2Eq View in LinkedIn