Environmental Signal Integration in Plants
Lead Research Organisation:
John Innes Centre
Department Name: UNLISTED
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 Kumar lab is studying how plants integrate environmental signals to mount an ecologically meaningful response. The focus of our research is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying environmental signal integration. We are studying how environmental factors (e.g. temperature) affect plant-pathogen interactions in particular. Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a discovery platform, we seek to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying gene regulation and how environmental factors affect gene regulatory mechanisms. By understanding the molecular basis of environmental signal integration, we seek to study adaptation of gene regulatory mechanisms to local and dynamic environments. Understanding the fundamental aspects of environmental adaptation will be key to improve crop performance through developing crops resilient or adapted to climate change.
Planned Impact
unavailable
People |
ORCID iD |
| Vinod Kumar (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Berriri S
(2016)
SWR1 Chromatin-Remodeling Complex Subunits and H2A.Z Have Non-overlapping Functions in Immunity and Gene Regulation in Arabidopsis.
in Molecular plant
Bouré N
(2019)
The BAP Module: A Multisignal Integrator Orchestrating Growth.
in Trends in plant science
Gaillochet C
(2020)
HY5 and phytochrome activity modulate shoot-to-root coordination during thermomorphogenesis in Arabidopsis.
in Development (Cambridge, England)
Gangappa SN
(2018)
DET1 and COP1 Modulate the Coordination of Growth and Immunity in Response to Key Seasonal Signals in Arabidopsis.
in Cell reports
Gangappa SN
(2017)
PIF4 Coordinates Thermosensory Growth and Immunity in Arabidopsis.
in Current biology : CB
Gangappa SN
(2017)
DET1 and HY5 Control PIF4-Mediated Thermosensory Elongation Growth through Distinct Mechanisms.
in Cell reports
Gardener C
(2015)
Hot n' Cold: Molecular Signatures of Domestication Bring Fresh Insights into Environmental Adaptation.
in Molecular plant
Kumar SV
(2017)
Studying Transcription Factor Binding to Specific Genomic Loci by Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP).
in Methods in molecular biology (Clifton, N.J.)
Kumar SV
(2018)
H2A.Z at the Core of Transcriptional Regulation in Plants.
in Molecular plant
Kumar SV
(2012)
Transcription factor PIF4 controls the thermosensory activation of flowering.
in Nature
| Description | We have uncovered fundamental principles underlying environmental signal integration in plants. We found that plant immunity is strongly influenced by temperature. Both basal and induced defense responses were modulated by changes in ambient temperature. Importantly the temperature-induced defense suppression was found to be a direct output of thermosensory signalling. Importantly, PIF4 mediated thermosensory signalling was found to coordinate growth and immunity in Arabidopsis. While PIF4 promotes growth at elevated temperature, it suppressed defense responses. PIF4 was found to be a negative regulator of immunity. Modulation of PIF4-mediated thermosensory signalling led to alteration in the growth-defense balance. We found that natural variation in thermosensory signalling reflects altered growth-defense balance. We have found that thermosensory growth is modulated by photoperiod through the DET1/COP1-PIF4 signal circuitry. To identify the molecular mechanisms that underlie the integration of temperature signals into immunity, we isolated several resilient (res) mutants with the ability to mount defense at high temperature. While nearly all of the enhanced defense mutations known so far are completely suppressed by growth at higher temperatures, res mutants maintain robust resistance at 27 ºC. Interestingly many of these mutants displayed defective temperature sensing phenotypes, suggesting that RES encode possibly novel thermosensory molecules. |
| Exploitation Route | We have found that temperature-induced suppression of immunity is closely coordinated with thermosensory growth through the transcription factor PIF4. Modulating temperature responsive growth could alter thermal sensitivity of defense and lea to resilient resistance. Further, our work has established that thermosensory mechanisms are conserved between Arabidopsis and oilseed rape, allowing us to modify thermosensory signalling in crops to alter thermal sensitivity of defense. In summary, this project has established a research programme addressing an important fundamental biology question of great practical relevance. We have made several key discoveries that will help elucidate the complex interaction of plants with their environment, providing us with valuable insights. Our findings have been followed up by a number of other researchers within and outside the UK. |
| Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink |
| Description | Through this research we have unearthed fundamental principles underlying environmental signal integration. Knowledge generated has been used to develop technologies for crop improvement. A patent application has been filed with Plant Biosciences Limited. This has led to the extension of our research on model pant Arabidopsis into crop plants with collaboration to test the paradigms in oil seed rape. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2017 |
| Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Education |
| Impact Types | Economic Policy & public services |
| Description | H2020 MSCA Individual Fellowship |
| Amount | € 404,387 (EUR) |
| Funding ID | 656995 |
| Organisation | European Commission |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | European Union (EU) |
| Start | 08/2015 |
| End | 08/2017 |
| Description | D Lucyshyn |
| Organisation | University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences |
| Country | Austria |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative research on low temperature mediated regulation of plant growth and development. Genetics and molecular biology experiments. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative research on low temperature mediated regulation of plant growth and development. Genetics and molecular biology experiments. |
| Impact | New collaboration. No reportable outcomes yet |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Ive De Smet |
| Organisation | Flanders Institute for Biotechnology |
| Country | Belgium |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Collaborative research on understanding the role of protein phosphorylation in plant temperature responses. Genetics, molecular biology related to temperature responses. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Collaborative research on understanding the role of protein phosphorylation in plant temperature responses. Molecular biology and phosphor proteomics. |
| Impact | No reportable outcomes yet. Ongoing collaboration. |
| Start Year | 2015 |
| Description | Conflict of interests: How do plants sense and integrate environmental signals. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited speaker at: Thermomorphogenesis 2016, (25 - 27 August 2016), Halle, Germany. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Conflict of interests: How do plants sense and integrate environmental signals? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at BOKU, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Austria April 2016 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | GARNet Youtube Interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | GARNet youtube interview about two articles published in Current Biology and Cell reports |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_--vJal50A |
| Description | Garnet Youtube Interview |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Garnet Youtube Interview about a published paper in Molecular Plant |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5gk21sIE9I |
| Description | Interview: With Angus Chen of National Public Radio (USA) on Warming scenario and early seed dispersal in Brassicas. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
| Results and Impact | Interview: With Angus Chen of National Public Radio (USA) on Warming scenario and early seed dispersal in Brassicas. This was in relation to a recently published research article. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| URL | http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2018/02/12/584936969/what-canola-can-tell-us-about-crops-and-cli... |
| Description | Invited Talk |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at VIB Ghent, Belgium. Talking about the research findings of the project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Invited talk at University of Potsdam: Perception and integration of environmental signals in plants. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited Talk at Institute for Biochemistry and Biology, University of Potsdam, Germany. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Perception and integration of environmental signals in plants |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at: Arabidopsis 2016: Emerging Challenges in Plant Biology, Mohali, India March 2016 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Putting it together: How do plants sense and integrate seasonal signals? |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Invited talk at: Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure (IBENS), Paris, France. This has led to the establishment of a collaboration involving scientists from France and Spain. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |