Faculty Member

Profile

---

Research lab: Developmental Genetics

Research Interests

Plant Development and Immunity Regulation

Our group is interested in plant development and immunity regulation. Interestingly, plant use same receptor components and MAP kinase signaling cascade for development and immunity. It is unknown, where pathogens and developmental pathway directly or indirectly converged and how both processes are well coordinated. Auxin is a mobile plant hormone which regulate almost any aspect of plant growth and development. We are interested to answer how auxin regulates plant growth and immunity. We are using a multi-disciplinary approach combining genetics, cell biology, pharmacological, genomics, biochemistry and proteomics to answer our biological questions.

Molecular Mechanism of Apical Hook Development

The apical hook develops immediately after seed germination and protects the apical meristem. The curvature of apical hook results from asymmetric cell elongation rates at opposite side of the bending hypocotyls. Since apical hook is not required for survival during growth of Arabidopsis seedlings under laboratory conditions, it is an excellent model system to take genetic and cell biological approaches to study mechanisms underlying differential cell elongation.

Plant cells are enclosed in a complex cell wall which not only functions as a protecting barrier but also as a mechanical signaling hub responding to external and endogenous cues controlling morphogenetic processes. It is well known that auxin-brassinosteroid (BR) cross talk regulates apical hook in Arabidopsis. Using cell biological, pharmacological, genetic and molecular approach we are trying to find out cell wall-auxin and BR regulation of differential cell elongation.