Periodic Reporting for period 1 - PLISUS (Plant Lipids Signalling Under Drought and Salt Stresses)
Periodo di rendicontazione: 2021-05-03 al 2023-05-02
Drought, cold and salt stress constitute key factors influencing plant growth, development and crop productivity. A key aspect of these stress processes is the biosynthesis and delivery mechanisms of the newly synthesized lipid species towards the appropriate subcellular membranes. Previous studies have demonstrated that Arabidopsis SYT1 (Synaptotagmin 1) is an ER-PM (endoplasmic reticulum – plasma membrane) tether component essential for proper Ca2+-dependent stress tolerance. Recently, we have demonstrated that SYT1 maintains diacylglycerol homeostasis during abiotic stress at the ER-PM contact sites. Moreover, new data have demonstrated that double mutant syt1/syt3 is lethal under cold conditions pointing out a defect in the endocytic machinery. The research objective of this Marie Curie fellowship was to determine the role of SYT complex has on lipid homeostasis and endocytic machinery related to cold, drought and salt stresses at the cellular level, using a combination of mutant analysis, cellular biology, lipidomics and biochemical approaches. According to FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of United Nations), the findings in this project will have potential practical applications since water scarcity, low temperatures and high salinity are three major factors limiting the geographical locations suitable for growing crop and horticultural plants and periodically account for significant losses in plant productivity.
The research objective of this fellowship was to determine the role that AtSYT1 AtSYT3, AtSYT5, and AtCLB1 (Arabidopsis Ca2+-dependent-lipid-binding protein) have on lipid homeostasis related to cold, drought and salt tolerance at the cellular level in the model Arabidopsis thaliana plants. Scientifically, this project has reached the proposed objectives, being the main findings:
- The identification of the role played by AtSYT1, AtSYT3, and AtSYT5 have in cold tolerance and non-vesicular phospholipid transfer.
- The identification of specific lipids interacting with AtSYT1, AtSYT5, and AtCLB1 in vitro
- The identification of AtSYT1 interactors related to its functional role.
Moreover, this project has been actively disseminated in two international conferences as oral communication and presented to undergraduate students and general public on several occasions such as in the "European Research Night," where the researcher represented a positive vision for using biotechnology in plant science and agriculture that has contributed to a public understanding of this project.
- The identification of the role played by AtSYT1, AtSYT3, and AtSYT5 have in cold tolerance and non-vesicular phospholipid transfer.
- The identification of specific lipids interacting with AtSYT1, AtSYT5, and AtCLB1 in vitro
- The identification of AtSYT1 interactors related to its functional role.
Moreover, this project has been actively disseminated in two international conferences as oral communication and presented to undergraduate students and general public on several occasions such as in the "European Research Night," where the researcher represented a positive vision for using biotechnology in plant science and agriculture that has contributed to a public understanding of this project.
Since plants are unable to move from one place to another, they have evolved mechanisms to enhance tolerance to different stresses that involves an array of physiological and biochemical modifications. PLISUS project has a major impact on the scientific understanding of the roles of AtSYT1, AtSYT3 and AtSYT5 in cold and salt tolerance regarding to their biological functions in the endocytic pathway. Therefore, the results of this project will contribute to tackle societal challenges related to environmental change and food security. Specifically, it paves the way for increased efficiency in agricultural production in Europe, and a sustainable bio-based economy, as described in the Europe 2030 flagship initiative "A resource-efficient Europe", by improving the cold and salt tolerance of crops and thus extending its geographical range.
Through this fellowship, the researcher has elevated his scientific career to a higher level of expertise through the opportunity to work with some of the most advanced techniques in this field such as a deep expertise in confocal microscopy, protein-interaction techniques and in lipid-protein interactions which has provided new state-of-the-art techniques for his future independent research career. In addition, because of the innovative aspects of the results, it is expected to publish these findings in two top scientific journals (open-access).
PLISUS also triggered several international collaborations. It is worthy to note a collaboration with one of the world’s leading research groups in the dynamic process of endocytosis at the plasma membrane in plant cells at VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (Belgium). Finally, these collaborative efforts that has included common grant applications have allowed the transition of the researcher to a senior position at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC, Sapin).
Through this fellowship, the researcher has elevated his scientific career to a higher level of expertise through the opportunity to work with some of the most advanced techniques in this field such as a deep expertise in confocal microscopy, protein-interaction techniques and in lipid-protein interactions which has provided new state-of-the-art techniques for his future independent research career. In addition, because of the innovative aspects of the results, it is expected to publish these findings in two top scientific journals (open-access).
PLISUS also triggered several international collaborations. It is worthy to note a collaboration with one of the world’s leading research groups in the dynamic process of endocytosis at the plasma membrane in plant cells at VIB-UGent Center for Plant Systems Biology (Belgium). Finally, these collaborative efforts that has included common grant applications have allowed the transition of the researcher to a senior position at the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC, Sapin).