Final Activity Report Summary - ADONIS (A doctoral training network in integrative studies of plant stress biology)
This report about a doctoral training network funded by the European Commission - ADONIS - with a total of 16 fellowships at the PhD level. ADONIS is headed by 10 distinguished research groups to foster scientific exchange across Europe. The project had two main components training for young researchers and to advance science on plant stress adaptation. The work aimed to dissect the molecular and physiological mechanisms in plant stress adaptation. Particular attention was attributed to drought, which has been predicted to be the major environmental threat of this century. The ambition of ADONIS was to provide in-depth understanding of the molecular events starting from perception of the stress signal, the regulation of the signal transduction events that lead to appropriate physiological responses (gene expression, protein synthesis, nuclear export-import processes, RNA metabolism and proteolysis). The primary plant under study was the genetic model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Results were validated in other crop species like rice, tomato and poplar as a tree model.
Training: The training program was dedicated to theoretical and practical introduction of early-stage researchers into multidisciplinary subjects and technologies of plant molecular genetics, proteomics, transcriptomics, cytogenetics, and cellular imaging. This demanding intensive training course had to be adjusted initially to the fellows' educational backgrounds.
Training was conducted in scientific workshops organised by the different partners and in dedicated soft skill workshops with hired specialists. Individual training was given in the host institutions by seminars, guest lectures and practical training in the laboratory. This resulted in seven completed PhD theses within the project and it is expected that six more will be completed within the next year. Several high ranking publications and one patent were obtained with major contributions by the young researchers. Several more publications are under preparation. Results obtained during the network have been disseminated during international conferences. The quality of the training is reflected by the fact that those fellows who obtained found further employment.
Scientific achievements: Although different adpative strategies exist for plants to survive water deficit, the hormone abscisic acid (ABA) functions as a universal trigger of various responses. Therefore, ABA and the complex signalling network were in the focus of studies in all groups. A genetic screen in combination with biochemical analyses revealed the identification of the long-sought ABA receptors. It was shown that a complex of the ABI2 and RCAR1 proteins had a high affinity to ABA and it could be concluded that the long-sought cytosolic ABA receptors are composed of an RCAR protein and a PP2C as co-receptors.
- To corroborate the ABA signalling network in combination with the knowledge about the receptor a remote infrared thermography was used to screen for mutants impaired in the response of stomatal closure as a drought-specific phenotype. Mutant analysis led to the reconstitution of the core complex in vitro, which consists of the family of the soluble ABA receptors, which shows that this screen will be specific to ABA signalling. This genetic screen using infrared thermography also uncovered a novel locus encoding a half-size ATP binding cassette transporter that has the 'reverse' molecular structure.
- An important component of stress signalling are the phosphorylation events triggered by kinases. A novel recombineering technology was developed and provided new information on subcellular localisation of kinases which act downstream of the drought signal. Protocols for phosphoprotein analysis were set-up in two groups and allowed to describe the dynamics of phosphorylation of stress proteins.
- In addition to phosphorylation, RNA stability is important for stress signalling and two new RNA-binding proteins were identified.
Training: The training program was dedicated to theoretical and practical introduction of early-stage researchers into multidisciplinary subjects and technologies of plant molecular genetics, proteomics, transcriptomics, cytogenetics, and cellular imaging. This demanding intensive training course had to be adjusted initially to the fellows' educational backgrounds.
Training was conducted in scientific workshops organised by the different partners and in dedicated soft skill workshops with hired specialists. Individual training was given in the host institutions by seminars, guest lectures and practical training in the laboratory. This resulted in seven completed PhD theses within the project and it is expected that six more will be completed within the next year. Several high ranking publications and one patent were obtained with major contributions by the young researchers. Several more publications are under preparation. Results obtained during the network have been disseminated during international conferences. The quality of the training is reflected by the fact that those fellows who obtained found further employment.
Scientific achievements: Although different adpative strategies exist for plants to survive water deficit, the hormone abscisic acid (ABA) functions as a universal trigger of various responses. Therefore, ABA and the complex signalling network were in the focus of studies in all groups. A genetic screen in combination with biochemical analyses revealed the identification of the long-sought ABA receptors. It was shown that a complex of the ABI2 and RCAR1 proteins had a high affinity to ABA and it could be concluded that the long-sought cytosolic ABA receptors are composed of an RCAR protein and a PP2C as co-receptors.
- To corroborate the ABA signalling network in combination with the knowledge about the receptor a remote infrared thermography was used to screen for mutants impaired in the response of stomatal closure as a drought-specific phenotype. Mutant analysis led to the reconstitution of the core complex in vitro, which consists of the family of the soluble ABA receptors, which shows that this screen will be specific to ABA signalling. This genetic screen using infrared thermography also uncovered a novel locus encoding a half-size ATP binding cassette transporter that has the 'reverse' molecular structure.
- An important component of stress signalling are the phosphorylation events triggered by kinases. A novel recombineering technology was developed and provided new information on subcellular localisation of kinases which act downstream of the drought signal. Protocols for phosphoprotein analysis were set-up in two groups and allowed to describe the dynamics of phosphorylation of stress proteins.
- In addition to phosphorylation, RNA stability is important for stress signalling and two new RNA-binding proteins were identified.