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Content archived on 2024-06-18

Disclosing the molecular bases of electrical signalling in plants

Objective

A plant needs to be able to communicate between its various parts so as to enable one part of the plant to inform the rest of any detected stimulus. This allows a co-ordinated physiological response to any external stimuli.
Electrical signals such as action potentials (APs) are by far the fastest signalling mechanisms in plants. They are able to broadcast information rapidly throughout a plant, so the whole plant can be almost instantaneously notified of any impending threat or change in circumstance. Thus, APs could be vital in the response of plants to environmental stress.
Despite their importance, huge questions remain about the mechanisms behind electrical signalling. Although there is a model for the generation and propagation of plant APs, which involves the cellular influx of calcium and efflux of chloride and potassium through ion channels, little is known about the molecular identify or the regulation of these channels. This is despite the rapidly increasing knowledge about ion transport mechanisms in model plant species such as Arabidopsis thaliana.
Focusing on APs in Arabidopsis, this project aims to fill this gap, with the overall aim of “providing a model describing the molecular mechanisms underlying the inception and the propagation of electrical signals in plant tissues”.
This project will therefore bring together ion transport mechanisms and electrical signalling in Arabidopsis. The involvement and the regulation of the ion channels involved in mediating ion fluxes during an AP will be intensively investigated, resulting finally in a mathematical model of electrical signalling in plants. The proposal will bring together three groups with expertise in (i) molecular electrophysiology of plant ion channels, (ii) electrophysiology, especially in relation to electrical signalling and (iii) computer-assisted mathematical modelling of plant biological processes, along with a returning European electrophysiologist with expertise in ion transport.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

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Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Call for proposal

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FP7-PEOPLE-2010-RG
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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

MC-IRG - International Re-integration Grants (IRG)

Coordinator

CENTRE NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE SCIENTIFIQUE CNRS
EU contribution
€ 75 000,00
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

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