A new study reveals a shared mechanism for coping with environmental stress in plants and green algae dating back 600 million years to their common ancestor. Researchers found that both plants and algae utilize a protein called CONSTANS, originally known for its role in flowering, to manage responses to various stresses like drought and high salinity. This ancient stress response system involves CONSTANS interacting with other proteins to regulate gene expression, protecting the organism from damage. This discovery highlights a highly conserved and essential survival mechanism across the plant kingdom and offers potential insights into improving stress tolerance in crops.
The blog post "Backyard Cyanide" details the surprising discovery of cyanide in the author's plum pits after her dog cracked and ate some. Alarmed, she researched and found that many common fruit seeds and pits, including apples, peaches, and cherries, contain amygdalin, which the body converts to cyanide. While a few pits might not be harmful, larger quantities can be toxic to both humans and animals. The author emphasizes the importance of awareness, particularly for pet owners, urging caution and suggesting discarding pits to prevent accidental ingestion. She highlights that cooking doesn't eliminate the risk and recommends contacting a veterinarian or poison control if ingestion occurs.
Hacker News users discuss the practicality and safety concerns of extracting cyanide from apple seeds. Several commenters point out the extremely low yield and the dangers of working with even small amounts of cyanide, emphasizing that the process is not worth the risk. Some highlight the inefficiency and difficulty of separating amygdalin, the cyanide-containing compound, effectively. Others discuss the history of cyanide and its uses, as well as the different forms it can take. A few users question the author's methodology and the accuracy of some claims in the original blog post. The overall consensus is that while theoretically possible, extracting cyanide from apple seeds is impractical, inefficient, and dangerous for the average person.
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https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=43436157
HN commenters discuss the implications of the study showing a shared stress response across algae and plants, questioning whether this truly represents 600 million years of conservation or if horizontal gene transfer played a role. Some highlight the importance of understanding these mechanisms for improving crop resilience in the face of climate change. Others express skepticism about the specific timeline presented, suggesting further research is needed to solidify the evolutionary narrative. The potential for biotechnological applications, such as engineering stress tolerance in crops, is also a point of interest. A few users dive into the specifics of the abscisic acid (ABA) pathway discussed in the study, pointing out its known role in stress response and questioning the novelty of the findings. Overall, the comments demonstrate a mix of intrigue, cautious interpretation, and a focus on the practical implications for agriculture and biotechnology.
The Hacker News post titled "600M years of shared environmental stress response found in algae and plants" (linking to a Phys.org article) has generated several comments discussing the research and its implications.
Several commenters focus on the evolutionary significance of the findings. One notes the remarkable conservation of this stress response pathway across such a vast timescale, highlighting how fundamental these mechanisms are to life. Another commenter points out the importance of understanding these shared responses in the context of climate change, suggesting that this knowledge could be crucial for developing strategies to protect crops and other plants from environmental stressors.
A couple of comments delve into the specifics of the research, questioning the methodology and interpretation of the results. One commenter asks for clarification on the specific genes involved in the pathway and how their expression changes under stress. Another raises a point about the challenges of inferring evolutionary relationships based on genetic similarities, cautioning against oversimplification.
One commenter expresses excitement about the potential applications of this research in synthetic biology, envisioning the possibility of engineering stress tolerance in plants to improve agricultural yields and resilience. Another comment thread branches into a discussion about the broader implications of studying evolutionary biology, with some emphasizing the importance of basic research for understanding the natural world and others highlighting its potential for addressing practical challenges.
A more skeptical comment questions the novelty of the research, suggesting that the existence of shared stress response mechanisms across plant lineages is already well-established. This sparks a brief discussion about the specific contributions of the study, with some arguing that it provides valuable new insights into the molecular details of these pathways.
Overall, the comments reflect a mixture of enthusiasm for the research findings, cautious interpretation of the results, and interest in their potential applications. The discussion highlights the importance of this type of research for understanding the interconnectedness of life and addressing the challenges posed by a changing environment.