Deciphering Novel Signaling Roles for Amino Acid Conjugates of Jasmonic Acid

University Of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln NE

Investigators

Abstract

PI: Paul Staswick Proposal # IOS-0820648 Title: Deciphering novel signaling roles for amino acids conjugates of jasmonic acid. Hormones regulate plant growth and development and help to protect plants from adverse environmental conditions such as drought, heat, insects, and diseases. Hormone-amino acid conjugates are formed by a recently discovered family of plant enzymes that attach various amino acids to specific hormones. Conjugation usually makes the hormone inactive, but it was recently discovered that adding the amino acid isoleucine to the defense hormone jasmonic acid (JA) makes this hormone more active. This project will determine the roles other amino acid conjugates of JA in plants. Novel conjugates of JA and related hormones will be chemically synthesized and then tested for their effects on the growth of Arabidopsis plants and in biochemical assays for hormone signaling activity. The enzymes that synthesize these conjugates will be identified and characterized using biochemical approaches. The project will attempt to elucidate how the conjugates control growth or protect plants from diseases and insects by studying mutant plants that fail to produce one or more of the conjugating enzymes. It is expected that this research will identify new forms of hormones that have important roles in plants and this information might then be used to develop plants with improved tolerance to adverse environments. This project will train students in modern plant molecular and biochemical research and a series of on-line education courses will be developed for inclusion in the University of Nebraska Distance Learning Curriculum. Lessons will provide examples of how a plant scientist makes an observation, develops a prediction or model, tests the model with well crafted experiments and finally shares their discoveries so other scientists can advance their research and our collective understanding of how plants work. The focus of these lessons and activities will be on how plant scientists work and think, rather than on only the facts that scientists discover.