Aims & Scope
Core Research Domains
Molecular Regulation of Development
- Transcriptional control of cell fate determination
- Epigenetic regulation and chromatin remodeling
- Post-transcriptional gene regulation (miRNA, siRNA)
- Functional genomics and gene network analysis
- RNA interference mechanisms in development
- CRISPR-Cas9 applications in developmental genetics
Cell Differentiation & Morphogenesis
- Cellular reprogramming and totipotency
- Organ formation and tissue patterning
- Cell division and cell cycle regulation
- Somatic embryogenesis mechanisms
- Stem cell maintenance and differentiation
- Plasmodesmata-mediated cell communication
Signal Transduction & Hormonal Control
- Hormone biosynthesis and perception pathways
- Receptor kinase signaling cascades
- Second messenger systems in plant cells
- Cross-talk between hormonal pathways
- Calcium signaling in development
- Peptide signaling in cell-cell communication
Cellular Biochemistry & Organelle Biology
- Chloroplast development and differentiation
- Cell wall biosynthesis and remodeling
- Metabolic pathway regulation in development
- Protein trafficking and localization
- Cytoskeleton dynamics and organization
- Membrane transport mechanisms
Secondary Focus Areas
Plant-Microbe Molecular Interactions
Molecular mechanisms of host-pathogen recognition, defense signaling pathways, and cellular immune responses. Focus on molecular and cellular aspects, not disease management or field pathology.
Stress Response Mechanisms
Cellular and molecular responses to abiotic stress (drought, temperature, salinity) at the gene expression and signaling pathway level. Emphasis on mechanistic understanding, not stress tolerance breeding.
Biotechnology Methods & Tools
Novel techniques in tissue culture, protoplast isolation, genetic transformation, genome editing, and cryopreservation. Methods must advance cellular or molecular research capabilities.
Computational & Systems Biology
Bioinformatics approaches to gene network analysis, systems-level modeling of developmental processes, and AI/machine learning applications in plant cell biology. Must include experimental validation.
Emerging Research Frontiers
Explicit Exclusions
We Do NOT Consider:
Applied Agronomy & Field Trials
Crop yield studies, fertilizer trials, irrigation management, or agricultural practices without molecular mechanistic insights. These belong in agronomy or crop science journals.
Ecological & Population Studies
Community ecology, population genetics, biodiversity surveys, or ecosystem-level studies. Our focus is cellular and molecular, not organismal or ecological.
Whole-Plant Physiology Without Cellular Mechanism
Descriptive physiological studies (photosynthesis rates, transpiration, nutrient uptake) lacking molecular or cellular mechanistic investigation. Physiological ecology belongs elsewhere.
Taxonomic & Floristic Studies
Plant taxonomy, phylogenetics, species descriptions, or floristic surveys. While bryology, phycology, and mycology may be relevant if focused on cellular development, pure taxonomic work is out of scope.
Clinical or Medical Applications
Phytomedicine, pharmacology, clinical trials of plant-derived compounds, or medical applications. Our focus is fundamental plant cell biology, not translational medicine.
Article Types & Editorial Priorities
Editorial Standards & Requirements
Reporting Guidelines
- MIQE for qPCR experiments
- MIAME for microarray data
- ARRIVE for plant experiments (adapted)
- Minimum Information for Biological and Biomedical Investigations (MIBBI)
- Transparent reporting of methods and statistics
Data & Materials Policy
- Raw data deposition in public repositories required
- Genomic data: NCBI GEO, ENA, or DDBJ
- Proteomics: PRIDE or ProteomeXchange
- Metabolomics: MetaboLights or Metabolomics Workbench
- Biological materials availability statement
Ethics & Compliance
- Institutional biosafety approval for GMO work
- Compliance with Nagoya Protocol for genetic resources
- Ethical collection of plant materials
- Conflict of interest disclosure
- Funding source transparency
Preprint & Publication Policy
- Preprints on bioRxiv, arXiv encouraged
- No prior publication in peer-reviewed journals
- Conference abstracts permitted
- Preprint DOI must be disclosed at submission
- Open access with CC BY 4.0 license
Editorial Decision Metrics
Ready to Submit?
Ensure your manuscript focuses on molecular and cellular mechanisms of plant development. Review our author guidelines for formatting and submission requirements.
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