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.

 

Contents:
| Introduction – Proteins that are marked for hacking into small pieces | The cell – a teeming mini-workshop | Ubiquitin | Proteins are life’s building-blocks | What proteins are marked? | Prevents self-polination | How are sex cells formed? | Further reading | Credits |
  Web Adapted Version of the Nobel Poster from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences

To cite this section
MLA style: The Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2004. NobelPrize.org. Nobel Prize Outreach AB 2025. Mon. 6 Jan 2025. <https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/chemistry/2004/8700-the-nobel-prize-in-chemistry-2004-2004-2/>

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