International team discovers small molecules that regulate how fast plant leaves age

Oct 31, 2024

Two small molecules that are produced by the plant Arabidopsis thaliana are shown to have the opposite effect on how fast its leaves age. The molecules are peptides, short chains of amino acids. While the peptide SCOOP10 accelerates aging, SCOOP12 suppresses it. Together, these peptides are thought to regulate the aging process in plants.