Alex Costa
@labcosta.bsky.social
Editorial Board @PlantCellEnvir, Board of Advisors @New Phytol, and @Facultyopinions
#Calcium #signaling #Arabidopsis #organelles #PCS #imaging
#Calcium #signaling #Arabidopsis #organelles #PCS #imaging
Too much water can be a challenge for plants, too! 🌱💧 Our new Spotlight in Molecular Plant explores how COSR channels link hypoosmotic stress to Ca²⁺ signaling.
Happy to share this piece with Matteo Grenzi and Yang Zhao!
doi.org/10.1016/j.mo...
Happy to share this piece with Matteo Grenzi and Yang Zhao!
doi.org/10.1016/j.mo...
October 4, 2026 at 6:06 AM
Too much water can be a challenge for plants, too! 🌱💧 Our new Spotlight in Molecular Plant explores how COSR channels link hypoosmotic stress to Ca²⁺ signaling.
Happy to share this piece with Matteo Grenzi and Yang Zhao!
doi.org/10.1016/j.mo...
Happy to share this piece with Matteo Grenzi and Yang Zhao!
doi.org/10.1016/j.mo...
It's finally out! Another piece of the puzzle of wound-induced long-distance signaling in Arabidopsis 🧩
Thanks to @jyothivadassery.bsky.social for this great collaboration!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Thanks to @jyothivadassery.bsky.social for this great collaboration!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
September 29, 2026 at 4:30 PM
It's finally out! Another piece of the puzzle of wound-induced long-distance signaling in Arabidopsis 🧩
Thanks to @jyothivadassery.bsky.social for this great collaboration!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Thanks to @jyothivadassery.bsky.social for this great collaboration!
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
I am truly honored to be featured in a New Phytologist Profile. My sincere thanks to @newphyt.bsky.social for this opportunity and for highlighting my scientific journey! 🌱
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
September 12, 2026 at 6:29 AM
I am truly honored to be featured in a New Phytologist Profile. My sincere thanks to @newphyt.bsky.social for this opportunity and for highlighting my scientific journey! 🌱
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
Reposted by Alex Costa
#Stomata: an introduction to a virtual issue
Check out this #Editorial from Alistair Hetherington introducing the Virtual Issue 'Stomata'
📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#LatestIssue #PlantScience
Check out this #Editorial from Alistair Hetherington introducing the Virtual Issue 'Stomata'
📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#LatestIssue #PlantScience
August 20, 2026 at 3:01 PM
#Stomata: an introduction to a virtual issue
Check out this #Editorial from Alistair Hetherington introducing the Virtual Issue 'Stomata'
📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#LatestIssue #PlantScience
Check out this #Editorial from Alistair Hetherington introducing the Virtual Issue 'Stomata'
📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
#LatestIssue #PlantScience
OsOSCA2.4 regulates post-Golgi trafficking of storage proteins by modulating Ca2+ homeostasis in rice endosperm academic.oup.com/plcell/artic...
OsOSCA2.4 regulates post-Golgi trafficking of storage proteins by modulating Ca2+ homeostasis in rice endosperm
Abstract. Seed storage proteins (SSPs), which accumulate specifically during seed development, constitute a major source of plant-derived protein in the hu
academic.oup.com
August 4, 2026 at 5:19 AM
OsOSCA2.4 regulates post-Golgi trafficking of storage proteins by modulating Ca2+ homeostasis in rice endosperm academic.oup.com/plcell/artic...
Reposted by Alex Costa
⚡ SPECIAL ISSUE REVIEW ⚡
A crosstalk exists between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium (Ca2+) signaling.
In this review, Jiménez et al. highlight how thioredoxins mediate redox regulation of Ca2+ transporters, sensors, and effectors.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪
A crosstalk exists between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium (Ca2+) signaling.
In this review, Jiménez et al. highlight how thioredoxins mediate redox regulation of Ca2+ transporters, sensors, and effectors.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪
![Fig. 2 (shortened, full legend in paper): Ca2+ transporters, sensors, and effectors in different cell compartments. Apoplastic calcium enters the cytosol by plasma membrane (PM) channels, such as annexins (ANXs), that can be modulated by glutathionylation and possibly by thioredoxin (TRX). Calcium can also enter via PM hyperpolarization-activated (HACC), depolarization-activated (DACCs), voltage-independent (VICCs), and MID1-complementing activity (MCA) channels, some of which are affected by ROS. The increase in [Ca2+]cyt activates ROS generation via Respiratory Burst Oxidase Homolog (RBOH). Ca2+ interacts in the different cell compartments with sensors and effectors such as phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C2 [AtPLC2, which hydrolyzes phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) into two secondary messengers.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ggz22gcwkakll7efac23g33s/bafkreig4psnnhekey2dur2dq57fkdr7iqe63jrb6mcnluzkmqof7uhesw4)
July 29, 2026 at 9:50 AM
⚡ SPECIAL ISSUE REVIEW ⚡
A crosstalk exists between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium (Ca2+) signaling.
In this review, Jiménez et al. highlight how thioredoxins mediate redox regulation of Ca2+ transporters, sensors, and effectors.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪
A crosstalk exists between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and calcium (Ca2+) signaling.
In this review, Jiménez et al. highlight how thioredoxins mediate redox regulation of Ca2+ transporters, sensors, and effectors.
🔗 doi.org/10.1093/jxb/...
#PlantScience 🧪
🌱💧 Can we improve drought tolerance without relying on ABA? Our latest study identifies two small molecules that inhibit plasma membrane K⁺ channels, triggering stomatal closure, Ca²⁺ elevation, and enhanced drought resistance through an ABA-independent pathway.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Synthetic ion channel inhibitors enhance plant drought tolerance - Nature Communications
Drought stress significantly threatens global food security by limiting plant growth. Here, authors demonstrate that chemical inhibition of potassium channels induces stomatal closure and enhances dro...
www.nature.com
July 27, 2026 at 9:37 AM
🌱💧 Can we improve drought tolerance without relying on ABA? Our latest study identifies two small molecules that inhibit plasma membrane K⁺ channels, triggering stomatal closure, Ca²⁺ elevation, and enhanced drought resistance through an ABA-independent pathway.
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
🔗 www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Reposted by Alex Costa
Happy to see this out! ER-located Ca2+ ATPase ACA2 regulates Ca2+ cytoplasmic pool linked to root hair growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. Great work of Mariana Carignani, a fruitfull colaboration with Teresa Portes, Daniel Damineli, Hugo Verli and @labcosta.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
July 10, 2026 at 1:37 PM
Happy to see this out! ER-located Ca2+ ATPase ACA2 regulates Ca2+ cytoplasmic pool linked to root hair growth in Arabidopsis thaliana. Great work of Mariana Carignani, a fruitfull colaboration with Teresa Portes, Daniel Damineli, Hugo Verli and @labcosta.bsky.social www.biorxiv.org/content/10.6...
Huge congratulations to Carlo @cpasini.bsky.social on your fantastic PhD defence at @ethz.ch! It was a brilliant presentation followed by a truly engaging discussion. Wishing you every success in your exciting new adventure in science!
June 27, 2026 at 4:29 AM
Huge congratulations to Carlo @cpasini.bsky.social on your fantastic PhD defence at @ethz.ch! It was a brilliant presentation followed by a truly engaging discussion. Wishing you every success in your exciting new adventure in science!
Reposted by Alex Costa
Explore plant #CalciumSignaling in the eponymous EMBO Workshop in Primosten, Croatia, 20–24 September 2026.
Abstract submission deadline: 30 May 2026
Registration deadline: 31 May 2026
https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-calcium-signaling
#EMBOCalciumSignaling #conference #meeting #EMBOevents 🧪
Abstract submission deadline: 30 May 2026
Registration deadline: 31 May 2026
https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-calcium-signaling
#EMBOCalciumSignaling #conference #meeting #EMBOevents 🧪
May 19, 2026 at 1:40 PM
Explore plant #CalciumSignaling in the eponymous EMBO Workshop in Primosten, Croatia, 20–24 September 2026.
Abstract submission deadline: 30 May 2026
Registration deadline: 31 May 2026
https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-calcium-signaling
#EMBOCalciumSignaling #conference #meeting #EMBOevents 🧪
Abstract submission deadline: 30 May 2026
Registration deadline: 31 May 2026
https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-calcium-signaling
#EMBOCalciumSignaling #conference #meeting #EMBOevents 🧪
Excited to share our new work on pollen tube growth in Arabidopsis thaliana! 🌱
We show that vacuolar and ER Ca²⁺-ATPases are key regulators of calcium dynamics during pollen tube growth.
A great collaboration with the Muschietti and Estevez labs 🤝
academic.oup.com/plphys/artic...
We show that vacuolar and ER Ca²⁺-ATPases are key regulators of calcium dynamics during pollen tube growth.
A great collaboration with the Muschietti and Estevez labs 🤝
academic.oup.com/plphys/artic...
Vacuolar and ER-Ca2+-ATPases regulate calcium dynamics during pollen tube growth in Arabidopsis thaliana
Proper pollen tube growth in Arabidopsis thaliana requires maintenance of the cytoplasmic Ca2+ gradient by vacuolar and ER Ca2+-ATPases.
academic.oup.com
May 17, 2026 at 4:23 PM
Excited to share our new work on pollen tube growth in Arabidopsis thaliana! 🌱
We show that vacuolar and ER Ca²⁺-ATPases are key regulators of calcium dynamics during pollen tube growth.
A great collaboration with the Muschietti and Estevez labs 🤝
academic.oup.com/plphys/artic...
We show that vacuolar and ER Ca²⁺-ATPases are key regulators of calcium dynamics during pollen tube growth.
A great collaboration with the Muschietti and Estevez labs 🤝
academic.oup.com/plphys/artic...
Reposted by Alex Costa
This was a wonderful defence of a very impressive thesis! Bianca, you did brilliantly, bravo! Thank you Alex for inviting me participate in this!
Many congratulations to Bianca on the successful defence of her PhD thesis! 🎉.
And many thanks to @botanicaljim.bsky.social for being part of the committee and contributing to this important milestone.
And many thanks to @botanicaljim.bsky.social for being part of the committee and contributing to this important milestone.
May 15, 2026 at 5:22 PM
This was a wonderful defence of a very impressive thesis! Bianca, you did brilliantly, bravo! Thank you Alex for inviting me participate in this!
Many congratulations to Bianca on the successful defence of her PhD thesis! 🎉.
And many thanks to @botanicaljim.bsky.social for being part of the committee and contributing to this important milestone.
And many thanks to @botanicaljim.bsky.social for being part of the committee and contributing to this important milestone.
May 15, 2026 at 4:58 PM
Many congratulations to Bianca on the successful defence of her PhD thesis! 🎉.
And many thanks to @botanicaljim.bsky.social for being part of the committee and contributing to this important milestone.
And many thanks to @botanicaljim.bsky.social for being part of the committee and contributing to this important milestone.
A helper NLR channels organellar calcium to trigger plant immunity | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
A helper NLR channels organellar calcium to trigger plant immunity
Upon activation, plant nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat (NLR) immune receptors are known to assemble into oligomeric resistosomes that insert into the plasma membrane, forming calcium (Ca2+)–per...
www.science.org
May 1, 2026 at 5:10 AM
A helper NLR channels organellar calcium to trigger plant immunity | Science www.science.org/doi/10.1126/...
There is still time to register for the EMBO Workshop on Plant Calcium Signaling 2026!
Dive into cutting-edge research on Ca²⁺ signaling in plants 🌿
Primosten, Croatia | 20–24 Sept 2026
meetings.embo.org/event/26-cal...
Travel grants are available
embo.org/funding/lect...
Dive into cutting-edge research on Ca²⁺ signaling in plants 🌿
Primosten, Croatia | 20–24 Sept 2026
meetings.embo.org/event/26-cal...
Travel grants are available
embo.org/funding/lect...
April 17, 2026 at 7:54 AM
There is still time to register for the EMBO Workshop on Plant Calcium Signaling 2026!
Dive into cutting-edge research on Ca²⁺ signaling in plants 🌿
Primosten, Croatia | 20–24 Sept 2026
meetings.embo.org/event/26-cal...
Travel grants are available
embo.org/funding/lect...
Dive into cutting-edge research on Ca²⁺ signaling in plants 🌿
Primosten, Croatia | 20–24 Sept 2026
meetings.embo.org/event/26-cal...
Travel grants are available
embo.org/funding/lect...
In Vivo Monitoring of Energy Metabolism with Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Biosensors - www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
In Vivo Monitoring of Energy Metabolism with Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Biosensors
All organisms fuel and build themselves through their energy metabolism. While classic biochemistry conceptualizes the fluxes of energy and matter, our understanding of how energy metabolism works in ...
www.annualreviews.org
March 12, 2026 at 10:54 AM
In Vivo Monitoring of Energy Metabolism with Genetically Encoded Fluorescent Biosensors - www.annualreviews.org/content/jour...
Reposted by Alex Costa
Plant Science Research Weekly -- Macro Plant Projection Imaging (MAPPI): An open, scalable platform for whole-plant fluorescence real-time imaging (Science Advances) @labcosta.bsky.social (Summary by Indrani Kakati @indranik18.bsky.social) buff.ly/LxaRjzT
#PlantaePSRW
#PlantaePSRW
Macro Plant Projection Imaging (MAPPI): An open, scalable platform for whole-plant fluorescence real-time imaging | Plantae
The bid to understand long distance Ca2+ signaling patterns in co-ordinating whole-plant responses to systemic or induced defense have been scarce in soil-grown plants mainly due to limitations of…
buff.ly
February 27, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Plant Science Research Weekly -- Macro Plant Projection Imaging (MAPPI): An open, scalable platform for whole-plant fluorescence real-time imaging (Science Advances) @labcosta.bsky.social (Summary by Indrani Kakati @indranik18.bsky.social) buff.ly/LxaRjzT
#PlantaePSRW
#PlantaePSRW
With MAPPI, we can design simple fluorescent experiments for long-term Ca²⁺ imaging — 16 hours in this video — tracking signals (if any) during growth or dynamic movements 📷
@ScienceAdvances @science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@ScienceAdvances @science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
February 24, 2026 at 10:04 AM
With MAPPI, we can design simple fluorescent experiments for long-term Ca²⁺ imaging — 16 hours in this video — tracking signals (if any) during growth or dynamic movements 📷
@ScienceAdvances @science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@ScienceAdvances @science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Plants "talk" internally — and now we can watch it happen.
MAPPI lets us track shoot-to-root Ca²⁺ signals in real time 🌱⚡
@ScienceAdvance! @science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
MAPPI lets us track shoot-to-root Ca²⁺ signals in real time 🌱⚡
@ScienceAdvance! @science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
February 9, 2026 at 6:59 AM
Plants "talk" internally — and now we can watch it happen.
MAPPI lets us track shoot-to-root Ca²⁺ signals in real time 🌱⚡
@ScienceAdvance! @science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
MAPPI lets us track shoot-to-root Ca²⁺ signals in real time 🌱⚡
@ScienceAdvance! @science.org
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Reposted by Alex Costa
Explore plant #CalciumSignaling in the eponymous EMBO Workshop "Plant calcium signaling" in #Primosten, Croatia, 20–24 September 2026.
Abstract submission deadline: 1 May
Registration deadline: 31 May
https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-calcium-signaling
#EMBOCalciumSignaling #EMBOevents 🧪
Abstract submission deadline: 1 May
Registration deadline: 31 May
https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-calcium-signaling
#EMBOCalciumSignaling #EMBOevents 🧪
January 22, 2026 at 9:40 AM
Explore plant #CalciumSignaling in the eponymous EMBO Workshop "Plant calcium signaling" in #Primosten, Croatia, 20–24 September 2026.
Abstract submission deadline: 1 May
Registration deadline: 31 May
https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-calcium-signaling
#EMBOCalciumSignaling #EMBOevents 🧪
Abstract submission deadline: 1 May
Registration deadline: 31 May
https://meetings.embo.org/event/26-calcium-signaling
#EMBOCalciumSignaling #EMBOevents 🧪
@ScienceAdvances @science.org
Using MAPPI for real-time whole-plant imaging, we reveal the earliest flooding response — a Ca²⁺ signal, expected, yet now directly visualised and strongest in young leaves...🔬📷
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Using MAPPI for real-time whole-plant imaging, we reveal the earliest flooding response — a Ca²⁺ signal, expected, yet now directly visualised and strongest in young leaves...🔬📷
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
February 2, 2026 at 6:40 AM
@ScienceAdvances @science.org
Using MAPPI for real-time whole-plant imaging, we reveal the earliest flooding response — a Ca²⁺ signal, expected, yet now directly visualised and strongest in young leaves...🔬📷
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Using MAPPI for real-time whole-plant imaging, we reveal the earliest flooding response — a Ca²⁺ signal, expected, yet now directly visualised and strongest in young leaves...🔬📷
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
We thank Jon K. Pittman for his thoughtful and inspiring commentary
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
published in @newphyt.bsky.social
on our recent work (Grenzi et al. 2025)
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
published in @newphyt.bsky.social
on our recent work (Grenzi et al. 2025)
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
February 1, 2026 at 2:49 PM
We thank Jon K. Pittman for his thoughtful and inspiring commentary
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
published in @newphyt.bsky.social
on our recent work (Grenzi et al. 2025)
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
published in @newphyt.bsky.social
on our recent work (Grenzi et al. 2025)
nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/...
🔥 Spodoptera littoralis feeding doesn’t just spike cytosolic Ca²⁺ — it also unleashes a surge of apoplastic glutamate in Nicotiana benthamiana
@ScienceAdvances
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@ScienceAdvances
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
January 30, 2026 at 7:43 AM
🔥 Spodoptera littoralis feeding doesn’t just spike cytosolic Ca²⁺ — it also unleashes a surge of apoplastic glutamate in Nicotiana benthamiana
@ScienceAdvances
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
@ScienceAdvances
science.org/doi/10.1126/...
Registration is now OPEN for the EMBO Workshop on Plant Calcium Signaling 2026!
Dive into cutting-edge research on Ca²⁺ signaling in plants 🌿
📍 Primosten, Croatia | 🗓️ 20–24 September 2026
meetings.embo.org/event/26-cal...
Dive into cutting-edge research on Ca²⁺ signaling in plants 🌿
📍 Primosten, Croatia | 🗓️ 20–24 September 2026
meetings.embo.org/event/26-cal...
January 27, 2026 at 9:53 AM
Registration is now OPEN for the EMBO Workshop on Plant Calcium Signaling 2026!
Dive into cutting-edge research on Ca²⁺ signaling in plants 🌿
📍 Primosten, Croatia | 🗓️ 20–24 September 2026
meetings.embo.org/event/26-cal...
Dive into cutting-edge research on Ca²⁺ signaling in plants 🌿
📍 Primosten, Croatia | 🗓️ 20–24 September 2026
meetings.embo.org/event/26-cal...