Novel links of molybdenum metabolism to other metabolic pathways

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Ralf R. Mendel
• Subject Area: Plant Physiology
• Term: from 2012 to 2015
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 215539193

In recent years, our group has deciphered the basic principles of molybdenum metabolism in plant (and human) cells with over 20 proteins participating. While the functions of the singular proteins are now basically clear, we have no detailed knowledge about their possible participation in other metabolic pathways nor about the participation of molybdenum metabolism as a whole in distant pathways beyond the already known neighbouring pathways. Recently we have described a family of eight molybdenum cofactor-binding proteins in Arabidopsis thaliana. Independently from us, at the same time these eight proteins were described by a Japanese group as novel cytokinin-activating proteins (these authors did not know that the proteins have a function in molybdenum metabolism). Therefore the aim of this project is two-fold: (1) One set of experiments is devoted to study in greater detail the unexpected link of the molybdenum cofactor-binding proteins to cytokinin biosynthesis.(2) Using omics technologies, the other set of experiments aims to identify novel partner proteins and pathways of molybdenum metabolism hitherto not known, thus contributing to the understanding of the role of this very old metabolic pathway.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Participating Person: Professor Dr. Robert Hänsch