Functional Regulation Of membrane proteiNs Through Enzymatic cleavAge

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The plant plasma membrane is a dynamic hub for nutrient uptake, pathogen detection, and stress signalling, anchored by surface receptors. In animals, proteolytic cleavage of membrane proteins is a major regulatory mechanism in immunity, but its role in plants remains largely unexplored. FRONTERA tackles this critical gap by asking: How does proteolytic regulation control plant plasma-membrane receptor function and plant immune responses?
We will combine chemoproteomics, cell biology, protease biochemistry, and genetics to investigate both sides of the process, the proteases that execute cleavage and the substrates they target, with emphasis on immune receptors. Beyond individual cases, FRONTERA will deliver the first platform to map and functionally analyse membrane-protein processing in plants, establishing plasma membrane proteolysis as a fundamental regulatory layer of plant physiology.
Within FRONTERA, we will pursue the following objectives:
O1 – Protease landscape: Define the composition and activity of plasma‑membrane–associated proteases at rest and during immunity.
O2 – Cleavage landscape: Map N‑termini/cleavage sites and dynamics of membrane protein processing during defence, focusing on immune receptors.
O3 – Function: Establish causality for selected protease–receptor pairs and quantify effects on immune outputs.
By integrating method development with mechanistic insight, FRONTERA will advance plant biology and open new strategies for crop resilience and sustainable agriculture.