Signalling and Plant Metabolism Group
Signalling molecules regulate plant metabolism, as well as growth and development and responses to environmental stresses. The Signalling and Plant Metabolism Group researchers use chemical and biological approaches to gain an understanding of complex signalling regulatory networks to improve plant productivity.
More than the sum of its parts
A recent development in plant functional genomics research is simultaneous profiling all the signalling molecules, or plant hormones, that regulate growth and development. Plant hormones are chemically diverse low molecular weight natural products and include auxins, cytokinins, abscisic acid, gibberellins, jasmonic acid, brassinosteroids and ethylene. Each different class has multiple biologically active forms, and the hormones act together to exert their effects, in what is referred to as cross-talk. Hormones are present at very low levels in a background of more plentiful plant chemicals. The Signalling and Plant Metabolism group and the Institute’s Mass Spectrometry lab are working together to develop liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry methods to analyze simultaneously numerous plant hormones and their products in crude plant extracts, without altering the hormones. Hormone profiling is being applied for a variety of studies including seed development and dormancy, high temperature and osmotic stress in seeds.
Contact:
Dr. Sue Abrams at Sue.Abrams@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Phone: (306) 975-5333.
Dr. Andrew Ross at Andrew.Ross@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Phone: (306) 975-6173.
Hormones and plant productivity
ABA metabolism and effectsAbscisic acid (ABA) is involved in everything from seed development and composition to germination and the structure of the plant.
A better understanding of the metabolism and effects of ABA may lead to improvements in plant performance and adaptability.
Our first goal is to understand the metabolism of ABA in plants. We focused on understanding how the active hormone is converted to inactive products such as dihydrophaseic acid. The metabolic pathways contributing to ABA breakdown, and the genes and proteins involved in them, are being identified and studied. We are also using the techniques of genomics and metabolic profiling to understand how ABA works as a hormone in the plant. The goal is to be able to improve plant productivity by altering the plant's hormone responses.
So far, several genes coding for enzymes involved in ABA hydroxylation have been identified and we have discovered a new pathway of ABA oxidation leading to a metabolite that we have called neophaseic acid. Our analyses of the effects of ABA on gene expression and metabolism in Crucifers such as Brassica napus is revealing new information on interactions between plant hormones and on the genes involved in ABA signaling.
Contact:
Dr. Adrian Cutler at Adrian.Cutler@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Phone: (306) 975-5581.
Dr. Sue Abrams at Sue.Abrams@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Phone: (306) 975-5333.
Hyper hormones for drought resistance
ABA AnalogsLong-lasting ABA analogs developed at NRC-PBI have been shown to reduce transpiration and improve drought tolerance. They have been used to understand how ABA works in plants in regulating gene expression and in physiological studies. These hyper-ABA analogs were designed to be resistant to the enzymes that turn ABA over in plants. The application of these compounds as plant growth regulators for a broad range of physiological processes is being investigated.
Contact: Dr. Sue Abrams at Sue.Abrams@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Phone: (306) 975-5333.
Plant performance from soil bacteria
BiotransformationMicrobes represent a tremendous pool of genetic diversity and a potential source of plant growth regulators. Researchers in this group are screening soil bacteria for novel enzymes and compounds that affect plant growth or that have industrial applications. The genes that produce these substances will be identified and selected bacterial genes will be transformed into plants to see how they affect performance.
Contact: Dr. Janet Taylor at Janet.Taylor@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Phone: (306) 975-5244.
The path to production and nutrition
myo-inositol signaling pathwayThe myo-inositol-based signaling pathway controls many functions, including how plants sense and react to different stimuli, e.g. biotic and abiotic stresses. Harnessing the pathway to enhance plant's readiness for survival, and to learn more about how plants perceive and interpret their signals is a major component of this research. Cereal grains, legumes and oil seeds also utilize myo-inositol to produce anti-nutritional substances such as phytic acid. By genetically manipulating some of the components of this pathway, phytic acid has been reduced by close to 50% in canola meal, creating new possible applications for canola meal as feed in the aquaculture industry. Plants also use myo-Inositol to produce sucrose galactosides, hard-to-digest complex sugars that cause stomach discomfort and gas. Several enzymes involved in the pathway are being investigated for effective control of these undesirable products.
Contact: Dr. Fawzy Georges at Fawzy.Georges@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Phone: (306) 975-4815.
How seeds are made
Carbohydrate depositionCarbohydrates represent a class of vital compounds that are essential for plant growth, development and productivity. The early stages of seed development are usually marked by dynamic changes in carbohydrate synthesis and breakdown patterns. Understanding the genetics behind these patterns will shed light on how these and other seed storage products are deposited and broken down. Early stage seed development in Brassica (e.g. canola) will be the model system for this work.
Contact: Dr. Fawzy Georges at Fawzy.Georges@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca
Phone: (306) 975-4815.
