Seminar IJPB / SPS: Sarah Courbier
It Takes TOR to Tango: TARGET OF RAPAMYCIN controls the trade-off between plant growth and immunity in response to shade - Tuesday, February 11th 2025, 11am
Plants perceive the presence of neighbouring plants via a reduction of the red to far-red ratio (low R:FR) in the light environment. As a result of low R:FR perception via specialized photoreceptors called phytochromes, plants activate a set of molecular and physiological responses referred to as the "shade avoidance syndrome"; a process characterized by rapid shoot elongation and upward leaf movement meant to outgrow neighboring vegetation. Although plants exhibit robust growth responses in response to low R:FR conditions, they also display reduced resistance capacities towards pathogens. However, the exact regulation of the trade-off between growth and defense by low R:FR remains to be elucidated.
Based on previous RNA-sequencing data, we identified Target of Rapamycin (TOR) as a potential regulator of the growth-defense trade-off in plants. By coupling biochemistry, omics and physiology, we are currently investigating if and how low R:FR perception regulates TOR activity and signaling thereby promoting growth at the expense of defense in Arabidopsis. So far, we show that TOR activity is quickly increased in response to low R:FR and that TOR inhibition by AZD8055 leads to a dampening of the shade-mediated growth responses. Given how conserved the TOR pathway is throughout the green lineage (and beyond), this work ultimately aims to unravel TOR-(in)dependent molecular pathways regulating the growth-defense tradeoff in plants, which could help develop more resilient crops.
Sarah Courbier, Department of Molecular Plant Physiology and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Allemagne
Invitation : Christian Meyer, "Nitrogen Use, transport and signaling" NUTS team
To attend, contact Christian Meyer
In connection with the research developed at the Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin for Plant Sciences.
Based on previous RNA-sequencing data, we identified Target of Rapamycin (TOR) as a potential regulator of the growth-defense trade-off in plants. By coupling biochemistry, omics and physiology, we are currently investigating if and how low R:FR perception regulates TOR activity and signaling thereby promoting growth at the expense of defense in Arabidopsis. So far, we show that TOR activity is quickly increased in response to low R:FR and that TOR inhibition by AZD8055 leads to a dampening of the shade-mediated growth responses. Given how conserved the TOR pathway is throughout the green lineage (and beyond), this work ultimately aims to unravel TOR-(in)dependent molecular pathways regulating the growth-defense tradeoff in plants, which could help develop more resilient crops.
Sarah Courbier, Department of Molecular Plant Physiology and CIBSS, University of Freiburg, Allemagne
Invitation : Christian Meyer, "Nitrogen Use, transport and signaling" NUTS team
To attend, contact Christian Meyer
In connection with the research developed at the Institute Jean-Pierre Bourgin for Plant Sciences.
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