Archive · 17 Nov 2025
Nature's Heat-Resistant Mechanism Discovered at COP30
Imagine plants getting too hot, just like we do when it's sunny outside.
Scientists found out that plants have a special, old trick to deal with heat!
When it gets hot, two tiny helpers inside the plant make a special signal, like a tiny message.
This message tells the plant to turn on its defenses, helping it stay cool and survive.
This trick is so old that even very old plants, like liverworts, have it.
Now, scientists hope to use this plant superpower to help us grow food that can handle the heat better in our changing world.
Scientists have identified a heat-resistance mechanism in plants that acts as a defense against thermal stress.
A molecule named 4/6-InsP7 functions as a chemical messenger in plants' heat stress response.
This messenger is generated by two enzymes, AtIPK-alpha and AtIPK-beta, when plants are exposed to high temperatures.
The mechanism is ancient, with similar systems found in very old plants like liverworts, dating back to when plants first colonized land.
This discovery could lead to the development of crops that are more resilient to heat, helping to combat yield losses in a warming climate.
- Who
- Scientists, including Debabrata Laha and Henning Jessen
- What
- Discovered a heat-resistance mechanism in plants involving a molecule called 4/6-InsP7 produced by specific enzymes.
- When
- November 17, 2025, during COP30
- Where
- Belém, Brazil
- Why
- To understand plants' natural defense against heat stress and potentially develop heat-resilient crops for a warming world.
Focus on Human Solutions
Leveraging Nature's Solutions
Approach to Climate Change Solutions
Focus on Human Solutions
Discussions at COP30 are primarily focused on human-driven solutions and policy.
Leveraging Nature's Solutions
Nature has evolved its own defense mechanisms against heat stress that scientists are now discovering and can potentially be utilized.
- Discovered Mechanism
- Production of 4/6-InsP7 molecule by enzymes AtIPK-alpha and AtIPK-beta
- Chemical Messenger
- 4/6-InsP7
- Enzymes Involved
- AtIPK-alpha and AtIPK-beta
- Plant Studied
- Arabidopsis thaliana
- Ancient Plant with Similar Mechanism
- Liverwort
- Potential Application
- Development of heat-resilient crops
- Publication
- PLOS Genetics