The molecular language of semagenesis.

Semagenesis, the process of signal generation, is a novel signaling strategy first uncovered within the parasitic plants. Recent evidence suggests that the parasite's production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been focused externally to exploit the host's innate immunity. Here we use the inducer identified from decoding semagenesis, as well as other signaling strategies of the parasitic plants, to synchronize host commitments of Striga asiatica and reveal the molecular events that control plant development.