Elucidating the machanisms by which control abscisic acid levels in plants

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Abscisic acid (ABA) is a plant hormone that regulates a variety of plant processes including seed maturation and avoidance/adaptation to abiotic and biotic stresses. Therefore, elucidation of molecular mechanisms that regulate endogenous ABA level is the key to modify seed qualities and to produce stress tolerant plants. The level of ABA is fine-tuned by the functions of 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenases (NCEDs) and ABA 8'-hydroxylases (CYP707As), rate-limiting enzymes of ABA biosynthesis and catabolism, respectively. These enzymes are localized in particular cell types and affect plants' systemic responses in a non-cell autonomous manner. Consequently, unidentified ABA transport machineries from ABA-synthesizing cells to responding cells are also essential for the functions of this hormone. The focus of this research proposal is to identify and functionally characterize the regulation of this hormone levels in each plant cell and ultimately to uncover how plants sense and respond to the changing environment.