Genetic and Biochemical Characterization of new ABA Response Factors

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The small molecule abscisic acid (ABA) is an important hormone that regulates many aspects of plant growth and development and plays a critical role in plant response to environmental stress. As a stress hormone, ABA is a critical regulator of how plants cope with extreme changes in the environment such as droughts or unexpected freezes. Because of its importance during exposure to environmental extremes, the ABA response pathway has been reengineered by modern biotechnologists to create plants with improved yields under conditions of drought. Thus, research on the biology of ABA has had, and will continue to have, an impact on agriculture and human welfare. ABA, like many hormones, works by binding to receptors that turn on signaling pathways that ultimately control downstream physiological processes. Recent studies have identified three receptor proteins that bind ABA. The receptors identified to date all show strong exclusive preference for the natural form of ABA, but several studies have suggested the existence of undiscovered receptors that can bind to both natural and non-natural forms. A detailed understanding of how ABA is perceived is a major goal in plant biology and will require identifying all of the receptors that recognize ABA.The Principal Investigator's has discovered a family of 5 new proteins that are candidate receptors for both natural and non-natural ABA isomers. Because these are the first candidate proteins to interact with both natural and non-natural forms of ABA, the research should fill a current gap in our understanding of how ABA works in plants. The research project will use biochemical and molecular genetic approaches to understand the function of these proteins in plants. In addition, modern biological research requires training students to be confident moving between fields to solve problems. The investigator's lab engages in interdisciplinary research at the chemistry-biology interface and is an ideal environment for training scientists able to meet the challenges of modern scientific endeavors. The project will include activities focused on training undergraduate students and expose students to multidisciplinary research at the interface of chemistry and biology.