S3E1 | Ryan Nett | Plant carbonic anhydrase-like enzymes in neuroactive alkaloid biosynthesis

No Time To Read

#Science #Biology #Arif Ashraf

1:14:43

Artificial intelligence is evolving at an unprecedented pace—what does that mean for the future of technology, venture capital, business, and even our understanding of ourselves? Award-winning journalist and writer Anil Ananthaswamy joins us for our latest episode to discuss his latest book Why Machines Learn: The Elegant Math Behind Modern AI . Anil helps us explore the journey and many breakthroughs that have propelled machine learning from simple perceptrons to the sophisticated algorithms shaping today’s AI revolution, powering GPT and other models. The discussion aims to demystify some of the underlying math that powers modern machine learning to help everyone grasp this technology impacting our lives, even if your last math class was in high school. Anil walks us through the power of scaling laws, the shift from training to inference optimization, and the debate among AI’s pioneers about the road to AGI—should we be concerned, or are we still missing key pieces of the puzzle? The conversation also delves into AI’s philosophical implications—could understanding how machines learn help us better understand ourselves? And what challenges remain before AI systems can truly operate with agency? If you enjoy this episode, please subscribe and leave us a review on your favorite podcast platform. Sign up for our newsletter at techsurgepodcast.com for exclusive insights and updates on upcoming TechSurge Live Summits. Links: Read Why Machines Learn, Anil’s latest book on the math behind AI https://www.amazon.com/Why-Machines-Learn-Elegant-Behind/dp/0593185749 Learn more about Anil Ananthaswamy’s work and writing https://anilananthaswamy.com/ Watch Anil Ananthaswamy’s TED Talk on AI and intelligence https://www.ted.com/speakers/anil_ananthaswamy Discover the MIT Knight Science Journalism Fellowship that shaped Anil’s AI research https://ksj.mit.edu/ Understand the Perceptron, the foundation of neural networks https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perceptron Read about the Perceptron Convergence Theorem and its significance https://www.nature.com/articles/323533a0…

hace un año 23:21

M4A•Episodio en casa

No Time To Read podcast

S3E1

Plant carbonic anhydrase-like enzymes in neuroactive alkaloid biosynthesis

Guest: Ryan Nett, Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and cellular Biology, Harvard University

Twitter/X: @rnett42

Host: Arif Ashraf, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Howard University

Twitter/X: @aribidopsis

30 episodios

No Time To Read

S3E1 | Ryan Nett | Plant carbonic anhydrase-like enzymes in neuroactive alkaloid biosynthesis

No Time To Read

published hace un año

M4A•Episodio en casa

No Time To Read podcast

S3E1

Plant carbonic anhydrase-like enzymes in neuroactive alkaloid biosynthesis

Guest: Ryan Nett, Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and cellular Biology, Harvard University

Twitter/X: @rnett42

Host: Arif Ashraf, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Howard University

Twitter/X: @aribidopsis

30 episodios

#Science #Biology #Arif Ashraf

Todos los episodios

1
S3E7 | Hailong Yang | Translational landscape in a maize microRNA biogenesis mutant 27:48

hace 19 weeks27:48

27:48

No Time To Read podcast S3E7 Translational landscape in a maize microRNA biogenesis mutant Guest: Hailong Yang, Bartlett lab, University of Massachusetts Amherst Previously at Beth Thompson’s lab, East Carolina University Twitter/X: @hailongcorn Host: Arif Ashraf, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Howard University Twitter/X: @aribidopsis…

1
S3E6 | Natalie Hoffmann | Cell wall integrity and endomembrane trafficking 18:08

hace 22 weeks18:08

18:08

No Time To Read podcast S3E6 Cell wall integrity and endomembrane trafficking Guest: Natalie Hoffmann, McFarlane lab, University of Toronto Host: Arif Ashraf, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Howard University Twitter/X: @aribidopsis

1
S3E5 | Joseph Gallagher | GRASSY TILLERS1 (GT1) and SIX-ROWED SPIKE1 (VRS1) homologs share conserved roles in growth repression 19:13

hace 27 weeks19:13

19:13

No Time To Read podcast S3E5 GRASSY TILLERS1 (GT1) and SIX-ROWED SPIKE1 (VRS1) homologs share conserved roles in growth repression Guest: Joseph Gallagher, US Department of Agriculture (USDA), Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Twitter/X: @Joe_P_Gallagher Host: Arif Ashraf, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Howard University Twitter/X: @aribidopsis…

1
S3E4 | Muthappa Senthil-Kumar | Combined plant stress database 27:33

hace 34 weeks27:33

27:33

No Time To Read podcast S3E4 Combined plant stress database Guest: Muthappa Senthil-Kumar, Principal Investigator, National Institute of Plant Genome Research (NIPGR), India Twitter/X: @SCIPdatabase Host: Arif Ashraf, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Howard University Twitter/X: @aribidopsis…

1
S3E3 | Cara Winter & Pablo Szekely | SHR and SCR coordinate root patterning and growth early in the cell cycle 26:59

hace 36 weeks26:59

26:59

No Time To Read podcast S3E3 SHR and SCR coordinate root patterning and growth early in the cell cycle Guest: Cara Winter, Associate Research Professor, Duke University Pablo Szekely, Postdoc, Benfey Lab, Duke University Host: Arif Ashraf, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Howard University Twitter/X: @aribidopsis…

1
S3E2 | Sonali Roy | The peptide GOLVEN10 alters root development and noduletaxis in Medicago truncatula 17:18

hace 40 weeks17:18

17:18

No Time To Read podcast S3E2 The peptide GOLVEN10 alters root development and noduletaxis in Medicago truncatula Guest: Sonali Roy, Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Tennessee State University Twitter/X: @SonaliRoy_ Host: Arif Ashraf, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Howard University Twitter/X: @aribidopsis…

1
S3E1 | Ryan Nett | Plant carbonic anhydrase-like enzymes in neuroactive alkaloid biosynthesis 23:21

hace 43 weeks23:21

23:21

No Time To Read podcast S3E1 Plant carbonic anhydrase-like enzymes in neuroactive alkaloid biosynthesis Guest: Ryan Nett, Assistant Professor, Department of Molecular and cellular Biology, Harvard University Twitter/X: @rnett42 Host: Arif Ashraf, Assistant Professor, Department of Biology, Howard University Twitter/X: @aribidopsis…

1
Season 3 is coming soon 1:34

hace 1 year1:34

1:34

Season 3 of the No Time To Read podcast is starting soon. Thanks for your support as an audience.

1
S2E9 | Sunil Kenchanmane Raju | DNA methylation and Gene duplication 32:05

hace 2 years32:05

32:05

Article: DNA methylation signatures of duplicate gene evolution in angiosperms Journal: Plant Physiology Year: 2023 Guest: Sunil Kenchanmane Raju Host: Arif Ashraf Abstract Gene duplication is a source of evolutionary novelty. DNA methylation may play a role in the evolution of duplicate genes (paralogs) through its association with gene expression. While this relationship has been examined to varying extents in a few individual species, the generalizability of these results at either a broad phylogenetic scale with species of differing duplication histories or across a population remains unknown. We applied a comparative epigenomic approach to 43 angiosperm species across the phylogeny and a population of 928 Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) accessions, examining the association of DNA methylation with paralog evolution. Genic DNA methylation was differentially associated with duplication type, the age of duplication, sequence evolution, and gene expression. Whole-genome duplicates were typically enriched for CG-only gene body methylated or unmethylated genes, while single-gene duplications were typically enriched for non-CG methylated or unmethylated genes. Non-CG methylation, in particular, was a characteristic of more recent single-gene duplicates. Core angiosperm gene families were differentiated into those which preferentially retain paralogs and “duplication-resistant” families, which convergently reverted to singletons following duplication. Duplication-resistant families that still have paralogous copies were, uncharacteristically for core angiosperm genes, enriched for non-CG methylation. Non-CG methylated paralogs had higher rates of sequence evolution, higher frequency of presence–absence variation, and more limited expression. This suggests that silencing by non-CG methylation may be important to maintaining dosage following duplication and be a precursor to fractionation. Our results indicate that genic methylation marks differing evolutionary trajectories and fates between paralogous genes and have a role in maintaining dosage following duplication. Cover art design and audio editing: Ragib Anjum…

1
S2E8 | Margot Smit | Origin and timing of stomatal patterning 22:48

hace 2 years22:48

22:48

Article: Extensive embryonic patterning without cellular differentiation primes the plant epidermis for efficient post-embryonic stomatal activities Journal: Developmental Cell Year: 2023 Guest: Margot Smit Host: Arif Ashraf Abstract Plant leaves feature epidermal stomata that are organized in stereotyped patterns. How does the pattern originate? We provide transcriptomic, imaging, and genetic evidence that Arabidopsis embryos engage known stomatal fate and patterning factors to create regularly spaced stomatal precursor cells. Analysis of embryos from 36 plant species indicates that this trait is widespread among angiosperms. Embryonic stomatal patterning in Arabidopsis is established in three stages: first, broad SPEECHLESS (SPCH) expression; second, coalescence of SPCH and its targets into discrete domains; and third, one round of asymmetric division to create stomatal precursors. Lineage progression is then halted until after germination. We show that the embryonic stomatal pattern enables fast stomatal differentiation and photosynthetic activity upon germination, but it also guides the formation of additional stomata as the leaf expands. In addition, key stomatal regulators are prevented from driving the fate transitions they can induce after germination, identifying stage-specific layers of regulation that control lineage progression during embryogenesis. Cover art design and audio editing: Ragib Anjum…

1
S2E7 | Katie Murphy | Specialized diterpenoid metabolism in maize 17:43

hace 2 years17:43

17:43

Article: A dolabralexin-deficient mutant provides insight into specialized diterpenoid metabolism in maize Journal: Plant Physiology Year: 2023 Guest: Katie Murphy Host: Arif Ashraf Abstract Two major groups of specialized metabolites in maize ( Zea mays ), termed kauralexins and dolabralexins, serve as known or predicted diterpenoid defenses against pathogens, herbivores, and other environmental stressors. To consider the physiological roles of the recently discovered dolabralexin pathway, we examined dolabralexin structural diversity, tissue-specificity, and stress-elicited production in a defined biosynthetic pathway mutant. Metabolomics analyses support a larger number of dolabralexin pathway products than previously known. We identified dolabradienol as a previously undetected pathway metabolite and characterized its enzymatic production. Transcript and metabolite profiling showed that dolabralexin biosynthesis and accumulation predominantly occur in primary roots and show quantitative variation across genetically diverse inbred lines. Generation and analysis of CRISPR-Cas9-derived loss-of-function Kaurene Synthase-Like 4 ( Zmksl4 ) mutants demonstrated dolabralexin production deficiency, thus supporting ZmKSL4 as the diterpene synthase responsible for the conversion of geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate precursors into dolabradiene and downstream pathway products. Zmksl4 mutants further display altered root-to-shoot ratios and root architecture in response to water deficit. Collectively, these results demonstrate dolabralexin biosynthesis via ZmKSL4 as a committed pathway node biochemically separating kauralexin and dolabralexin metabolism, and suggest an interactive role of maize dolabralexins in plant vigor during abiotic stress. Cover art design and audio editing: Ragib Anjum…

1
S2E6 | Norman Best | Maize Tassel Development 10:20

hace 2 years10:20

10:20

Article: Transcriptional responses to gibberellin in the maize tassel and control by DELLA domain proteins Journal: The Plant Journal Year: 2022 Guest: Norman Best Host: Arif Ashraf Abstract The plant hormone gibberellin (GA) impacts plant growth and development differently depending on the developmental context. In the maize (Zea mays) tassel, application of GA alters floral development, resulting in the persistence of pistils. GA signaling is achieved by the GA-dependent turnover of DELLA domain transcription factors, encoded by dwarf8 (d8) and dwarf9 (d9) in maize. The D8-Mpl and D9-1 alleles disrupt GA signaling, resulting in short plants and normal tassel floret development in the presence of excess GA. However, D9-1 mutants are unable to block GA-induced pistil development. Gene expression in developing tassels of D8-Mpl and D9-1 mutants and their wild-type siblings was determined upon excess GA3 and mock treatments. Using GA-sensitive transcripts as reporters of GA signaling, we identified a weak loss of repression under mock conditions in both mutants, with the effect in D9-1 being greater. D9-1 was also less able to repress GA signaling in the presence of excess GA3. We treated a diverse set of maize inbred lines with excess GA3 and measured the phenotypic consequences on multiple aspects of development (e.g., height and pistil persistence in tassel florets). Genotype affected all GA-regulated phenotypes but there was no correlation between any of the GA-affected phenotypes, indicating that the complexity of the relationship between GA and development extends beyond the two-gene epistasis previously demonstrated for GA and brassinosteroid biosynthetic mutants. Cover art design and audio editing: Ragib Anjum…

1
S2E5 | Rachel Shahan | Arabidopsis Root Cell Atlas 22:45

hace 2 years22:45

22:45

Article: A single-cell Arabidopsis root atlas reveals developmental trajectories in wild-type and cell identity mutants Journal: Developmental Cell Year: 2022 Guest: Rachel Shahan Host: Arif Ashraf Abstract In all multicellular organisms, transcriptional networks orchestrate organ development. The Arabidopsis root, with its simple structure and indeterminate growth, is an ideal model for investigating the spatiotemporal transcriptional signatures underlying developmental trajectories. To map gene expression dynamics across root cell types and developmental time, we built a comprehensive, organ-scale atlas at single-cell resolution. In addition to estimating developmental progressions in pseudotime, we employed the mathematical concept of optimal transport to infer developmental trajectories and identify their underlying regulators. To demonstrate the utility of the atlas to interpret new datasets, we profiled mutants for two key transcriptional regulators at single-cell resolution, shortroot and scarecrow . We report transcriptomic and in vivo evidence for tissue trans-differentiation underlying a mixed cell identity phenotype in scarecrow . Our results support the atlas as a rich community resource for unraveling the transcriptional programs that specify and maintain cell identity to regulate spatiotemporal organ development. Cover art design and audio editing: Ragib Anjum…

1
S2E4 | Guangchao Sun | Genome sequence of Paspalum vaginatum 26:41

hace 2 years26:41

26:41

Article: Genome of Paspalum vaginatum and the role of trehalose mediated autophagy in increasing maize biomass Journal: Nature Communications Year: 2022 Guest: Guangchao Sun Host: Arif Ashraf Abstract A number of crop wild relatives can tolerate extreme stress to a degree outside the range observed in their domesticated relatives. However, it is unclear whether or how the molecular mechanisms employed by these species can be translated to domesticated crops. Paspalum ( Paspalum vaginatum ) is a self-incompatible and multiply stress-tolerant wild relative of maize and sorghum. Here, we describe the sequencing and pseudomolecule level assembly of a vegetatively propagated accession of P. vaginatum . Phylogenetic analysis based on 6,151 single-copy syntenic orthologues conserved in 6 related grass species places paspalum as an outgroup of the maize-sorghum clade. In parallel metabolic experiments, paspalum, but neither maize nor sorghum, exhibits a significant increase in trehalose when grown under nutrient-deficit conditions. Inducing trehalose accumulation in maize, imitating the metabolic phenotype of paspalum, results in autophagy dependent increases in biomass accumulation. Cover art design and audio editing: Ragib Anjum…

1
S2E3 | Marta Laskowski | Root Meristem & Lateral Root 17:29

hace 2 years17:29