13 ERA-CAPS Plant Endoplasmic Reticulum Architecture and Seed Productivity
Lead Research Organisation:
Oxford Brookes University
Department Name: Faculty of Health and Life Sciences
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
The plant endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is the cellular organelle that regulates the flux of proteins and lipids into the secretory pathway, and is responsible for storing large amount of proteins for human and animal nutrition. The ER has a unique and dynamic architecture, which changes to allow for different biosynthetic functions. Building on our collaborative work over the last 5 years, our team combines expertise in plant molecular and cell biology, biochemistry, microscopy and cereal genetics to bring understanding of ER structure/function relationships to the next level.
We aim at understanding the key molecular determinants of ER shape by studying their function, regulation and interactions. We also propose to investigate interorganellar cooperation by analysing putative contact points between ER and plasma membrane and ER and protein storage vacuoles. We will manipulate the key ER morphogens and assess how changes in ER shape affect protein and lipid biosynthesis and storage. This work will be perfomed in model plants and, importantly, in seeds of cereals (barley, wheat and maize) in order to test directly the ER structure/function relationships in these crop models.
We aim at understanding the key molecular determinants of ER shape by studying their function, regulation and interactions. We also propose to investigate interorganellar cooperation by analysing putative contact points between ER and plasma membrane and ER and protein storage vacuoles. We will manipulate the key ER morphogens and assess how changes in ER shape affect protein and lipid biosynthesis and storage. This work will be perfomed in model plants and, importantly, in seeds of cereals (barley, wheat and maize) in order to test directly the ER structure/function relationships in these crop models.
Planned Impact
This research combines both basic and translational elements. The importance of the plant secretory pathway in economic terms cannot be understated. A great proportion of the food consumed on the planet in terms of proteins and carbohydrates is manufactured and processed in the organelles of the secretory pathway. Likewise the pathway is responsible for the production of much of the plant extracellular matrix (wall) material which is important in numerous industries (wood, paper etc) and more recently in biofuel production (both in terms of oils and carbohydrates for fermentation). Therefore, any research underpinning our knowledge of the function of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) has great potential benefit to the development of strategies to manipulate or increase protein productivity in plants. Also the ER is the site of synthesis of many of the economically important molecules that are in development, through plant expression, by the biotechnology sector. Antibodies, peptide antigens and protein based therapeutics being good examples.
Short-to medium term beneficiaries will be applied plant biologists, in particular cereal biologists/breeders. In the long term beneficiaries of this work will include the agricultural sector, through enhanced food production, the biotechnology and health sector through the production of economically valuable molecules and the biofuels sector through oil production in the ER. It is worth noting that Frigerio, Hawes and Stöger have already collaborated in successful projects, such as the EU funded PharmaPlanta programme, on the production of antibodies within the plant ER.
All partner institutions have active technology transfer offices. Therefore, in the event of any exploitable intellectual property emerging from the projects we are well placed for exploitation.
Short-to medium term beneficiaries will be applied plant biologists, in particular cereal biologists/breeders. In the long term beneficiaries of this work will include the agricultural sector, through enhanced food production, the biotechnology and health sector through the production of economically valuable molecules and the biofuels sector through oil production in the ER. It is worth noting that Frigerio, Hawes and Stöger have already collaborated in successful projects, such as the EU funded PharmaPlanta programme, on the production of antibodies within the plant ER.
All partner institutions have active technology transfer offices. Therefore, in the event of any exploitable intellectual property emerging from the projects we are well placed for exploitation.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
Christopher Hawes (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Breeze E
(2016)
A C-terminal amphipathic helix is necessary for the in vivo tubule-shaping function of a plant reticulon.
in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Feeney M
(2018)
Protein Storage Vacuoles Originate from Remodeled Preexisting Vacuoles in Arabidopsis thaliana.
in Plant physiology
Hawes C
(2015)
The endoplasmic reticulum: a dynamic and well-connected organelle.
in Journal of integrative plant biology
Kittelmann M
(2016)
Serial block face scanning electron microscopy and the reconstruction of plant cell membrane systems.
in Journal of microscopy
Kriechbaumer V
(2018)
Arabidopsis Lunapark proteins are involved in ER cisternae formation
Kriechbaumer V
(2018)
The odd one out: Arabidopsis reticulon 20 does not bend ER membranes but has a role in lipid regulation.
in Scientific reports
Kriechbaumer V
(2018)
Arabidopsis Lunapark proteins are involved in ER cisternae formation.
in The New phytologist
Pain C
(2019)
Quantitative analysis of plant ER architecture and dynamics.
in Nature communications
Description | Part of the award is to study proteins that shape an internal membrane structure in the plant cell - the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This structure is responisble for the biosynthsis and processing of proteins detined for starage of to leave the cell. The membrane shaping porteins are called reticulons and there are 21 of them in the arabidopsis genome. We have discovered that 2 of these, nos 19 and 20 have an extended terminus which has lipid biosynthetic capabilities, but the two proteins do not seemed to be involved in shaping the endoplasmic reticulum. Lipid anaysis of mutant plants has shown that indeed these proteins have some effect on the lipid content of plant cells. This discovery is being pursued further. We have also worked on a new class of proteins termed LUNAPARK that are involved in controlling the formation of sheets of endoplasmic reticulum. Continuation of this project via a BBSRC funded DTP student has resulted in the development of software to fully analyse ER stucture and dynamics. |
Exploitation Route | This is to early to predict but some data will be made publically available via our website |
Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink |
Description | The Secret Life in Plant Cells |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk to the Didcot Branch of the University of the Third Age. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |