Cell-to-cell communication is essential for multicellular organisms, coordinating cellular activities to support the function of the organism as a whole. Plant multicellularity differs from animals’ in that their cytoplasm, plasma and endo-membranes are all continuous between cells through the highly specialised plasmodesmata (PD) membrane-lined bridges (Fig.1). PD play a crucial role in the cohesive organization of plant multicellularity. PD facilitate direct cell-to-cell transfer of molecules such as transcription factors, small RNAs, hormones, and metabolites during critical growth and developmental stages. This regulated cell-to-cell trafficking underpins plant responses to developmental cues and environmental stimuli. Despite over 50 years of research PD regulation is still porrly understand.
My research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of PD specialization and function, and to explore how their unique membrane architecture impacts cell-to-cell trafficking. We use multidisciplinary approaches, including lipidomic/proteomic, super-high-resolution microscopy, molecular dynamics, and classical cell biology and plant genetics to address some of the following questions:
- What are the molecular determinants of PD specialized membrane domains?
- What role do lipids play in PD function?
- How are PD organized within the narrow ER-PM space? Are these junctions plastic, and how does this relate to cell-to-cell connectivity?
- What are the molecular mechanisms and function of ER-PM contacts?
