Science selects ABA receptors as breakthrough of the year runner-up

Science magazine has selected plant [ABA receptors](http://www.sciencemag.org/btoy2009/ru_links.html#ru3links) as one of the runners-up for the 2009 Breakthrough of the Year award. MX and SAXS data collected at the SIBYLS beamline were integral to the research article published in the Dec 4th issue of Science. This work was recognized as contributing to the fundamental breakthrough in the understanding of how abscisic acid (ABA) is able to act as a hormone to keep seeds dormant, curtail water loss, and inhibit root and other vegetative growth when times are tough.

Nishimura N, Hitomi K, Arvai AS, Rambo RP, Hitomi C, Cutler SR, Schroeder JI, Getzoff ED. “Structural mechanism of abscisic acid binding and signaling by dimeric PYR1” Science. 2009 Dec 4;326(5958):1373-9. Epub 2009 Oct 22.