IBIP seminar

Thursday, October 15, 2015

Crosstalk of nutrient signaling pathways in plant roots

Anna Amtmann
University of Glasgow, UK

Plants have the ability to regulate the development and growth of different parts of the roots system in such a way that the resulting overall root system architecture (RSA) allows them to optimally forage the soil for mineral nutrients. Plasticity of root architecture is evident between genotypes (e.g. different ecotypes show different RSAs under identical nutrient conditions) and within genotypes (e.g. Arabidopsis Col-0 shows different RSAs in different nutrient deficiencies). Progress to understand the complex signalling network that underlies RSA plasticity has been made in through QTL analysis of root responses to low-K in Arabidopsis phenotypes [1], and through a multi-factorial analysis of root architectural responses to multiple combinations of low/normal supply of N, P, K, S and light [2]. Targeted follow-up studies have revealed novel interactions between K and N, as well as K, P and Fe, and have pinpointed specific roles of ion transporters, receptors and regulators in the regulation of individual root features. Track record Anna Amtmann (Professor for Molecular Plant Physiology, University of Glasgow) has 25 year of research experience and an extensive publication record in plant abiotic stress tolerance and plant mineral nutrition with focus on ion transport and transcriptional regulation. She has developed ion transport models, algorithms for ‘omics’ data analysis and image analysis software. For example, EZ Rhizo [3] allows the rapid detection of roots from scanned images and quantification of a large number of root architectural features. EZ Rhizo version II is ready to be released together with a new program (Root-Vis) enabling visualization of the acquired data and rapid statistical analysis. Recent research highlights from the Amtmann group include the unraveling of genetics and signaling crosstalk underlying root architectural responses to mineral nutrients [1,2] and the identification of histone modifications in plant responses to water deficit and priming [4,5]. The Amtmann team also pursues synthetic biology strategies in cyanobacteria for water desalination and metabolic engineering [6].

[1] Kellermeier et al (2014) Plant Cell 26: 1480,
[2] Kellermeier et al (2013) Plant Phys 1642: 1421
[3] Armengaud et al (2009), Plant J. 57: 945
[4] Sani et al. (2013) Genome Biology 14, R59,
[5] Perrella et al. (2013) Plant Cell 25: 3491
[6] Amezaga et al (2014) Plant Phys 164: 1661

Contact : Hatem Rouached

Contacts IBIP :
Sabine Zimmermann
Alexandre Martiniere
Christine Granier
Chantal Baracco