Dissecting calcium signalling pathways in basal land plants (MILLER_U17DTP1)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of East Anglia
Department Name: Graduate Office
Abstract
Plants need to respond to the environment in order to adapt and grow. Plants often modify the concentration of calcium ions in their cells in response to different environmental stimuli and stresses [1]. These changes in cellular calcium concentration trigger many downstream responses, including re-programming of gene expression. Calcium signalling pathways are therefore essential for plants to respond and adapt to environmental stimuli and stresses.
Higher plants such as the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have extensive networks of proteins associated with calcium signalling pathways, and traditional genetic studies have identified mutants in components of these pathways. However, genetic redundancy is frequently observed and this has hindered further study of these signalling pathways. Recent genomic analyses have revealed that the gene families encoding components of calcium signalling pathways are considerably smaller in basal land plant species [2, 3]. The study of these pathways in basal land plants will therefore offer unique insights and understandings into calcium signalling pathways in higher plants, and may identify new potential targets that could be manipulated to improve stress tolerance in crop species.
This PhD project will undertake a multi-disciplinary approach combining plant genetics, molecular biology, bioinformatics and biochemistry to dissect calcium signalling pathways in basal land plants.
References:
1. Kudla, Batistic & Hashimoto. Plant Cell 22:541-63 (2010)
2. Edel & Kudla. Cell Calcium 57:231-46 (2015)
3. Hamel, Sheen & Séguin. Trends Plant Sci 19: 79-89 (2014)
Higher plants such as the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana have extensive networks of proteins associated with calcium signalling pathways, and traditional genetic studies have identified mutants in components of these pathways. However, genetic redundancy is frequently observed and this has hindered further study of these signalling pathways. Recent genomic analyses have revealed that the gene families encoding components of calcium signalling pathways are considerably smaller in basal land plant species [2, 3]. The study of these pathways in basal land plants will therefore offer unique insights and understandings into calcium signalling pathways in higher plants, and may identify new potential targets that could be manipulated to improve stress tolerance in crop species.
This PhD project will undertake a multi-disciplinary approach combining plant genetics, molecular biology, bioinformatics and biochemistry to dissect calcium signalling pathways in basal land plants.
References:
1. Kudla, Batistic & Hashimoto. Plant Cell 22:541-63 (2010)
2. Edel & Kudla. Cell Calcium 57:231-46 (2015)
3. Hamel, Sheen & Séguin. Trends Plant Sci 19: 79-89 (2014)
Organisations
Publications
Tansley C
(2023)
CIPK-B is essential for salt stress signalling in Marchantia polymorpha.
in The New phytologist
Description | OpenPlant Fund: Extending the type IIS toolkit for subcellular localisation in Marchantia |
Amount | £4,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | R206900 |
Organisation | OpenPlant Fund |
Sector | Academic/University |
Start | 08/2018 |
End | 06/2019 |
Description | Biology School Colloquium, UEA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | Presented my work on decoding calcium signalling in marchantia polymorpha to other PhD students at my university |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Biology School Colloquium, UEA |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Based on my award for head of school prize I was allowed the opportunity to present my PhD work alongside the PIs of the department at the yearly colloquium at UEA |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Presented work at the Plant Calcium Signalling Conference- Milano, Italia |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Presented at a specialist conference my work on plant calcium signalling in M. polymorpha as an output of my PhD |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.pcsmilano2022.com/ |
Description | Talk for the European Calcium Society Webinar series |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Around 60 people attended the seminar hosted by ECS with both myself and Josh Joyce presenting work and discussing. The Webinar was then posted on youtube for wider views after the event. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bpobA4Wapc |