Deciphering the role of CPSFL1 in thylakoid biogenesis and maintenance under ambient and abiotic stress conditions

• Applicant: Alexander Paul Hertle, Ph.D.
• Subject Area: Plant Physiology ; Plant Biochemistry and Biophysics
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 452589609

This project will investigate the role of CPSFL1, a Sec14-like protein, in thylakoid membrane biogenesis, lipid transport and stress adaptation in plants. Thylakoid membranes are critical for photosynthesis, and understanding their assembly and maintenance is crucial for improving plant resilience and photosynthetic efficiency. The project focuses on the mechanisms involved in lipid exchange between chloroplast membranes and the processes that influence membrane curvature, vesicle formation and fusion, particularly under stress conditions such as drought and heat. Key to this study is CPSFL1, which has been shown to play a central role in lipid transport in chloroplasts. It is a Sec14-like protein that interacts with signaling lipids. CPSFL1 is also involved in lipid distribution and membrane remodeling, and its function is critical for membrane stability, thylakoid biogenesis and stress responses. Mutants lacking CPSFL1 show growth defects, disorganized thylakoids and the inability to form stromal vesicles, highlighting the importance of the protein for membrane dynamics. As a DFG fellow, I propose an interdisciplinary and complementary work program to investigate the functional role of CPSFL1 in chloroplast biogenesis and under abiotic stress conditions. This will include to study the binding and redistribution of signaling lipids by CPSFL1 in vitro and in vivo using high resolution imaging and lipid analytics. In addition, we are studying how CPSFL1 influences the biosynthesis and distribution of acyl lipids in chloroplasts, particularly in relation to important plant signaling molecules such as oxylipins or jasmonic acid. Furthermore, the project also focuses on the role of CPSFL1 in lipid signaling under abiotic stress conditions and investigates how CPSFL1 contributes to lipid remodeling and plant stress responses. The research will provide crucial insights into the role of CPSFL1 in membrane dynamics, lipid signaling and stress adaptation. It will also uncover the potential of CPSFL1 to improve crop stress tolerance and photosynthetic plants' ability to cope with stress while maintaining their photosynthetic performance. The results could improve our understanding of lipid signaling in plants and provide new strategies to control lipid metabolism and stress resistance in crops.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants