A Fruitful Pursuit: Plant Biology at Whitehead Institute
January 24, 2019
Decades of pioneering plant research at Whitehead Institute have led to biological insights and useful discoveries
Tag: Evolution + Development
How one parasite stays in shape
January 23, 2019
Researchers in Whitehead Institute Member Sebastian Lourido’s lab identify the linchpin proteins of parasite Toxoplasma gondii’s cytoskeleton.
A tough case cracked
December 17, 2018
The detailed molecular structure of the inert plant material sporopollenin — key for the emergence of land plants — has been resolved
Uncovering the “must-haves” of tissue regeneration
November 27, 2018
Biological program triggered by large injuries not required for regeneration, Whitehead Institute team finds
Plant characteristics shaped by parental conflict
November 19, 2018
Differences in common traits within a plant species, such as seed size, can be determined by more than gene sequence.
Heart-healthy plant chemistry
October 29, 2018
A novel genomic approach helps identify medicinal compounds in plants.
How many evolutionary events can it take to screw in nature’s lightbulb?
October 16, 2018
Firefly genomics reveals independent evolution of bioluminescence in beetles
Network of diverse noncoding RNAs acts in the brain
June 7, 2018
First known network consisting of three types of regulatory RNAs is identified
A Blueprint for Regeneration
March 15, 2018
Researchers at Whitehead Institute have uncovered a framework for regeneration that may explain and predict how stem cells in adult, regenerating tissue determine where to form replacement structures.
Retinoic acid regulates transitions in mouse sperm production
November 7, 2017
Researchers swimming upstream in reproductive technology work now have important insights into sperm production
Small worm muscles up to reveal ancient body patterning mechanism during regeneration
October 30, 2017
Whitehead Member Peter Reddien has determined that a major function of muscle in planaria and acoels--a small regenerative marine worm auspiciously located on the evolutionary tree as an outgroup to all the rest of the Bilateria--is to serve as the source of instructive positional information for instructing regeneration.
Jaw-dropping research explains mouth formation during embryonic development
August 2, 2016
Whitehead Institute researchers have identified an area in the developing face of embryonic frogs that unzips to form the mouth. The scientists, who named this region the “pre-mouth array”, have also discovered the cellular signaling that triggers its formation. Elucidating this critical aspect of craniofacial development in a model organism enhances understanding of and potential treatment for human facial birth defects.