Modulation of hypoxic responses by RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH 1 in Arabidopsis thaliana

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Romy Schmidt-Schippers
• Subject Area: Plant Physiology
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 465647995

Hypoxia, a condition of limited oxygen availability, occurs naturally in the context of flooding and negatively affects the viability of plants. Various cellular signals generated under hypoxia must be integrated in order to induce a stress-specific response. Changes in the cellular redox status in the presence of oxygen deprivation are not yet associated with important transcription cascades required for adaptation. We found that RADICAL-INDUCED CELL DEATH1 (RCD1), a redox-sensitive interactor of several transcription factor families in Arabidopsis thaliana, is mandatory for the regulation of the most prominent transcriptional regulators under low-oxygen stress. In addition to RCD1, one of its homologues is also involved in the repression of transcription factors. To unravel the molecular mechanism of repression by RCD1, we combine a variety of genetic, biochemical and molecular biological approaches. In addition, the influence of redox signals generated under hypoxia on the function of RCD1 is examined in detail. Finally, we want to identify novel regulators of transcription under hypoxia that are controlled in an RCD1-dependent manner. With this project we can significantly expand our understanding of the integration of redox signals in signaling processes leading to low-oxygen stress tolerance.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants