In mammalian cells, the transcription factor p53 most responsible for healthy growth of the organism. The equivalent in plants is Suppressor Of Gamma Response 1 (SOG1), a factor that does not share a common evolutionary ancestor with p53. While p53 has been exhaustively studied, much less is known about SOG1. A new study led by researchers at the Nara Institute of Science and Technology (NAIST) reports in The Plant Journal concerning the target genes of SOG1 and the key DNA sequence responsible for its binding to promoters. In addition, it shows SOG1 has an immune function, unlike p53.