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The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004

  The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004
       
  rose  

Prevents self-polination

Did you know that roses are bisexual? Most plants are like this - they're hermaphrodites. With such an arrangement, one wonders what prevents plants from fertilising themselves. In fact, ubiquitin-mediated protein breakdown is involved: the plant recognises and rejects its own pollen! The exact mechanism is not yet fully clear, but enzyme E3 has been found and when a proteasome inhibitor has been added, the rejection has been noticeably impaired.