What took you so long?Peptide-receptor kinase signaling mediates reproductive isolation in plants

The peptide-receptor kinase-based intercellular signaling becomes an important molecular base for various aspects of plant life activities[1],particularly exemplified in the extensive molecular interactions in the journey of pollen tube growth in pistil of flowering plants[2].Researches in the past two decades demonstrated that peptide-receptor kinase signaling complexes mediat epollen tube promotion,guidance and reception,as well as selfincompatibility and gamete fusion.A recent exciting discovery published on Science by Zhong et al.expands the biological functions of peptide-receptor kinase signaling to facilitating formation of a new plant species[3].