Topic title: Deciphering the mechanisms of signal integration via MSP signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana
Annotation:
In our lab we are interested in the study of plant hormonal signaling pathways, particularly cytokinins (CKs) in the development of model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, for more details see here. Multistep phosphorelay (MSP) represents one of the backbone signaling pathways in plants. MSP was originally described as a pathway mediating signaling of plant hormones cytokinins. However, ours as well as well as others’ results suggest integration of multiple signaling types, particularly light and ethylene into MSP pathway (1-4). Integration of multiple signals into single signaling pathway can be one of the strategy enabling plants respond and adapt to a highly changing environment conditions. Recently, ethylene was shown to control MSP signaling via histidine kinase (HK) activity of the ethylene receptor ETR1 (1). Although ETR1 is an active HK, its C-terminal receiver domain is unable to participate in MSP signaling. Instead, ETR1 interacts with another HK to transfer the phosphate to the downstream members of the MSP signaling pathway (Szmitkowska et al., manuscript in preparation).
The main goal of the project is to investigate the structural and functional aspects of intermolecular interaction involved in the control of MSP signaling via ethylene and/or other signaling types and elucidate the importance of this integration in the regulation of plant development and adaptive responses.
In the work, we will combine leading-edge approaches of structural, molecular and synthetic biology, genetics, genomics, biochemistry, plant phenotyping and molecular plant physiology.
References and Recommended Literature:
1. Zdarska, M., et al. (2019). Mol Plant 12, 1338-1352.
2. Dobisova, T., et al. (2017). Plant Physiol 174, 387-404.
3. Zdarska, M., et al. (2015). Journal of Experimental Botany 66, 4913-4931.
4. Skalak, J., et al. (2021). Front Plant Sci 12, 644823.
