ERA-CAPS:Activation and regulation of plasma membrane receptor signaling complexes controlling plant development and immunity, and their connection to downstream signaling cascades

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Plant development is driven in part by chemical communication among cells that signal and co-ordinate growth. Some of these signals are small molecules, called peptides, that are perceived by other "receptor" molecules in the plant cell. A cascade of developmental information is transmitted when peptides find their receptors, similar to the opening of a door by a key in a lock. Surprisingly, scientists discovered that receptors are also used by plants to detect signals from invading pathogens. Upon detection, plants can then ward off further pathogen attack by activating an arsenal of molecular defenses. How these related and similar receptors function in normal plant development and also plant defense is puzzling and remains an important unanswered question in plant biology. This research tackles the problem by identifying the molecular basis of peptide recognition and by deciphering how receptors control both development and defense. Specifically, the research addresses the question of how the same receptor family can distinguish between very different peptide signals to activate different cell signaling pathways. The research brings together a diverse and international group of scientists with complementary technical skills to address these questions. Challenges to plant health from pathogens remain a pressing problem facing national food security, as diseases spread widely across the globe. The outcomes of this research provide foundational information that can be applied to improving disease resistance in plants. In the process, students and post-doctoral researchers are trained in cutting edge interdisciplinary science in the area of basic plant development and practical plant health. Peptide perception in plant pathogen interactions and development are mediated primary receptors belonging to the leucine-rich repeat transmembrane kinase superfamily. Individual primary receptors mediate specific peptide binding, but it is becoming clear that diverse receptors can use specific and often shared co-receptors for peptide recognition and downstream signaling. The molecular basis of specificity in both recognition and downstream signaling is unclear. This research studies the structural basis of how related receptors use co-receptors to recognize specific peptide ligands. In addition, the project aims to use phosphoproteomics and quantitative biochemistry to determine how specific ligand perception is transduced into specific downstream signaling outputs. The project will also decipher the function of a clade of receptor interactors in the control of both development and defense receptor signaling using a combination of biochemical and genetic methods. It is envisioned that this work will provide a molecular framework for understanding how specificity is encoded at the molecular level in receptor kinase signaling, setting the stage for engineering these pathways in crops in the future as one of the major broader impacts of the reseach. The program also ensures a productive future by training the next generation of scientists in inter-disciplinary and international research.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.