Control of dynamic palmitoylation: Identification of de-palmitoylating enzymes and their substrates in plants

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Regulating protein function in plants - identification of new regulatory enzymes and their substratesProteins are the key functional molecules in the cell, forming structural building blocks and performing the many specialized functions a cell requires to survive. Making sure that individual proteins perform the right task at the right time is achieved by modifying them with various small molecules at specific places within the protein structure. This modification can alter where in the cell proteins are found, how they interact with other proteins, target them for recycling or alter how active they are. The modification of proteins that is key to this work is known as palmitoylation and involves the addition or removal of fatty acids from proteins to activate or suppress different responses. These cycles of addition and removal can promote responses through a wide range of different physical mechanisms depending on the individual protein. As these modifications are vital for regulating how a cell operates it is crucial for us to understand the mechanisms and processes that control and regulate these modifications. I have already identified and characterized the mechanisms by which palmitoyl groups are added to proteins in plants. This project aims to identify and characterize the mechanisms by which palmitoyl groups are removed from proteins in plants. This is essential for understanding the regulatory framework surrounding palmitoylation.Once we have this knowledge we will then be in a position to identify all of the proteins that are regulated by palmitoylation. This will open the door to greater understanding of how cellular function is regulated and helps the organism operate as a whole. Palmitoylation affects nearly 15% of all proteins within the cell but how it regulates their function is essentially unknown. Using the tools we have developed we will identify proteins that undergo de-palmitoylation. This will allow us to specifically study proteins regulated by changes in palmitoylation state and begin to understand how changes in palmitoylation state alter protein function.Palmitoylated proteins are involved in virtually every process in the cell that involves signaling or transport of molecules from outside of the cell to the inside. These proteins are therefore extremely important for interactions with the outside world and understanding how they are regulated to correctly perform their function will be extremely important for understanding how plants interact with their environment, fight off pathogens, build their cell walls and take up nutrients. This is in turn important for improving the food yield of crops, improving water, land and nutrient use efficiency and helping increase biofuel production - all essential parts of future food and energy security.