Functional analysis of the Arabidopsis two-component signalling network

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Two-component systems (TCS) represent important signal perception, transduction and integration mechanisms in higher plants. A multitude of plant TCS elements have been identified within the last years in Arabidopsis including histidine kinases (HKs), histidine phosphotransfer proteins (HPs) and response regulators (RRs). Plant HKs perceive environmental or endogenous signals and transduce them through HPs to their cognate RRs which mediate the cellular processes via, for instance, the initiation of complex transcriptional cascades. Several TCS elements also function as molecular nodes in the cross-talk with non-TCS signal transduction systems. In the proposed project we will focus, on the one hand, on the analysis of the initial molecular events during the activation of Arabidopsis histidine kinases (AHKs) and of the functional dynamics of AHKs in respect to intramembrane and intracellular movement. On the other hand, we will employ the Arabidopsis transcription factor ARR2 for the identification of target genes which may initiate the complex transcriptional program induced by the TCS network. We are confident that our project will provide new insights into the initiation of TCS signalling and the realisation of developmental programs and integrated responses to the environment in Arabidopsis.