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Mechanisms of Plant Growth Regulation
Plants face constant environmental challenges, such as fluctuating temperatures, nutrient availability, and microbial threats. To adapt, they have developed complex strategies involving transcriptional, metabolic, and growth regulation. Understanding these molecular mechanisms is crucial for improving crop resilience, disease resistance, and productivity, especially in the context of climate change and global food security.
Regulation of the Plant Cytoskeleton
A key focus of our research is the role of the cytoskeleton in regulating plant growth. The plant microtubule cytoskeleton forms a dynamic network that responds to various stimuli and is regulated by microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) to coordinate growth. We investigate how MAPs, particularly the plant-specific IQ67 Domain (IQD) protein family, contribute to signal integration and cellular organization. IQDs share features with scaffold proteins that assemble larger macromolecular complexes and interact with the calcium sensor calmodulin (CaM). IQDs thus provide a mechanism for integrating calcium signals at the microtubule cytoskeleton, impacting plant growth and stress responses. Some IQDs also associate with membranes and localize to the nucleus, expanding their signaling capabilities. This makes IQDs a promising area of study, with the potential to uncover new mechanisms governing plant shape and function.
Understanding Evolution and Innovation in Plant Cytoskeleton Functions
The plant cytoskeleton has evolved to perform specialized functions crucial for life on land. The plant cell wall—unique to plants—plays a critical role in this adaptation, providing structural support and rigidity. We study how interactions between the microtubule cytoskeleton and the cell wall, especially during cellulose deposition, contribute to plant shape. Our work also highlights evolutionary innovations in plant cell division, such as the development of the phragmoplast and preprophase band, which govern new cell wall formation during division. These plant-specific cytoskeletal structures are key to understanding the evolution of cellular processes and the rise of complexity at the molecular level, helping to explain how protein innovations have supported plant growth and adaptation in terrestrial habitats.
Summary and Outlook
Our research aims to understand how plant-specific proteins, like IQDs, regulate growth and adapt to environmental stresses. By studying the molecular and evolutionary mechanisms of these proteins, we hope to uncover new ways to improve plant resilience, productivity, and stress resistance.
Our current research questions include:
1. How do plant-specific proteins, such as IQDs, interact with conserved eukaryotic proteins to drive the evolution of novel protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, and how do these networks contribute to plant growth and adaptation?
2. What is the architecture and composition of microtubule-associated protein (MAP) complexes in plants, and how do these complexes regulate cellular functions involved in plant growth, development, and adaptation?
3. How do plant cells decode and integrate complex calcium signaling through MAPs and scaffolding proteins, and what role do these signals play in regulating microtubule dynamics and overall plant growth?
4. How do structural and functional changes in proteins across different plant species contribute to plant adaptation to terrestrial environments, and how do evolutionary adaptations in these proteins regulate stress responses?
5. How do proteoform variations within plant populations contribute to differences in growth, stress adaptation, and resilience, particularly in relation to environmental challenges like fluctuating temperatures or nutrient availability?