Hormonal Crosstalk in Plant Development - Helene Robert Boisivon

Research areas

• Hormonal crosstalk for plant organogenesis
• Lateral root formation as working model for cytokinin-auxin interaction
• Influence of local auxin biosynthesis for seed and embryo development

Main objectives

• Convergence of hormonal pathways on transport-dependent auxin distribution upstream of lateral root formation
• Role of auxin-cytokinin interaction in lateral root formation
• Unraveling the effect of local auxin production on seed and embryo development in Arabidopsis
• Identification of components of hormonal crosstalk by genetic approaches
• Formulation of general models for hormonal regulation of organogenesis

Content of research

Growth and development of plants are regulated by signaling substances such as plant hormones. In plants, interactions between hormonal pathways represent crucial factors that govern their action. The molecular basis for hormonal crosstalk is largely unknown. Our research aims to identify the molecular and cellular mechanism(s) underlying crosstalk of hormonal pathways in organogenesis and other plant developmental processes. We use two working models in Arabidopsis, lateral root formation and embryo development, as ideal experimental models to study mechanisms of plant hormone action, the molecular basis of their interactions, and the role of these interactions in organogenesis.

We aim to identify the key points in which auxin and other signaling pathways converge during lateral root formation and the molecular components involved in the process. Using cell type specific transcriptome analysis, we investigate the molecular events involved in auxin-cytokinin regulated lateral root organogenesis.

During embryogenesis, shoot and root primordia are specified at opposite extremities of the embryo. An embryonic local auxin production influences signaling pathways leading to the activation of developmental program for root and shoot specification. We investigate how auxin biosynthesis is regulated within the embryo.

In both models, we used mutant screens approaches to specifically target interactions between selected hormonal pathways. The acquired knowledge on molecular networks and their mutual interactions in lateral root organogenesis and embryo morphogenesis will be used to model these processes and to extrapolate them onto other developmental situations.

list / cards

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

2016

• LIU, GC; GAO, S; TIAN, HY; WU, WW; ROBERT, HS; DING, ZJ, 2016:Local Transcriptional Control of YUCCA Regulates Auxin Promoted Root-Growth Inhibition in Response to Aluminium Stress in Arabidopsis. PLOS GENETICS 12 (10)
• RAKUSOVA, H; ABBAS, M; HAN, HB; SONG, SY; ROBERT, HS; FRIML, J, 2016:Termination of Shoot Gravitropic Responses by Auxin Feedback on PIN3 Polarity. CURRENT BIOLOGY 26 (22), p. 3026 - 3032.

2015

• ROBERT BOISIVON H; MROUE S; CRHAK KHAITOVA L; BENKOVA E, 2015:The importance of localized auxin production for morphogenesis of reproductive organs and embryos in Arabidopsis. Journal of Experimental Botany 66 (16), p. 5029 - 5042.
• ROBERT, HS; GRUNEWALD, W; SAUER, M; CANNOOT, B; SORIANO, M; SWARUP, R; WEIJERS, D; BENNETT, M; BOUTILIER, K; FRIML, J, 2015:Plant embryogenesis requires AUX/LAX-mediated auxin influx. DEVELOPMENT 142 (4), p. 702 - 711.

2013

• CUESTA, C; WABNIK, K; BENKOVA, E, 2013:Systems approaches to study root architecture dynamics. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE 4
• ROBERT, HS; GRONES, P; STEPANOVA, AN; ROBLES, LM; LOKERSE, AS; ALONSO, JM; WEIJERS, D; FRIML, J, 2013:Local Auxin Sources Orient the Apical-Basal Axis in Arabidopsis Embryos. CURRENT BIOLOGY 23 (24), p. 2506 - 2512.
• WABNIK, K; ROBERT, HS; SMITH, RS; FRIML, J, 2013:Modeling Framework for the Establishment of the Apical-Basal Embryonic Axis in Plants. CURRENT BIOLOGY 23 (24), p. 2513 - 2518.

2012

• VANSTRAELEN, M; BENKOVA, E, 2012:Hormonal Interactions in the Regulation of Plant Development. ANNUAL REVIEW OF CELL AND DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY, VOL 28 28 , p. 463 - 487.

GRANTY

• Objasnění regulace lokální produkce auxinu v Arabidopsis: spouštěcí mechanismus pro formování embrya (3SGA5602), South Moravian Region - SoMoPro, 2014 - 2016
• Molecular network implied in auxin-cytokinin interaction during plant organogenesis (GA13-39982S), Czech Science Foundation - Standard Grants, 2013 - 2017

CURRENT RESEARCH INFRASTRUCTURE

• Standard laboratory equipment for molecular biology, cell biology, plant hormone biology and plant cultivation under tightly regulated conditions (fytotrons).
• Expertise and high-end instrumentation in advanced microscopy techniques, including high-end confocal microscopes (ZEISS 780 and ZEISS 700), light microscopes equipped with DIC objectives, ZEISS epifluorescence microscopes.
• Immuno robot (Intavis), www.intavis.de/en/In_Situ_Detection/InsituPro_VSi/index.php

 

1. Transcriptional regulation of auxin-dependent organogenesis

Supervisor: Helene Robert Boisivon, Ph.D.
Consultants: Mgr. Markéta Pernisová, Ph.D.

Annotation

Food production mostly relies on a proper sexual plant reproduction. Therefore research in fundamental aspects of seed development is crucial to the understanding of processes involved in seed viability. Embryo development follows a strict pattern of cell divisions and differentiations, which, if whenever affected, perturbs embryo shape and viability. The plant hormone auxin is a mediator of these developmental events. Dynamic changes in auxin distribution during embryo development are crucial for establishment of embryonic root and shoot. We showed that a local production of auxin regulates this embryonic auxin distribution. Our research projects focus on how environmental and endogenous signals are integrated at the cellular level into the regulation of this auxin transport both in embryonic and post-embryonic tissues.
Project description Our next challenge is to identify how this localized embryonic auxin production is regulated. We identified transcription factors that directly activate the expression of auxin biosynthetic enzymes, which will be functionally studied within this project. Techniques involved Genetics, Microscopy, Molecular Biology, Cellular Biology in context of Plant reproduction.
We are seeking an enthusiastic and motivated student who would be interested to carry out his/her PhD research project in our team. The candidate should have MSc degree in the area of Life sciences. Experience in molecular biology/cell biology/plant culture/microscopy is a plus. English will be our communication language.
We offer Ambitious laboratory facilities, young, international and dynamic work environment. Experience acquisition in a wide range of biological techniques and methods.

Keywords: auxin transport, embryonic auxin production, plant reproduction, organogenesis