Trehalose signalling: understanding and exploiting an emerging small molecule carbohydrate paradigm

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Sucrose and trehalose are the most widespread non-reducing disaccharides in nature. Sucrose functions as an energy reserve, building block and protective molecule in plants, and trehalose has these functions in fungi, bacteria and insects. Until recently, with very few exceptions, this division of sucrose and trehalose between the kingdoms was thought to be clear cut. However, the trehalose pathway and trehalose 6-phosphate, in particular, have been shown to play an indispensbale signalling role in plants influencing processes like photosynthesis, sugar metabolism, disease and stress resistance. The proposal will determine signalling partners of trehalose 6-phosphate and closely related non-reducing disaccharides in plants to enable chemical intervention of these important plant processes in Arabidopsis with a longer term view to crop improvement.