Guardians of the nucleus – the role of chloroplast positioning in cross-organelle communication and plant protection against global warming.
Supervisors:
Dr Eirini Kaiserli, School of Molecular Biosciences
Dr Sophie Spatharis, School of Biodiversity, One Health & Veterinary Medicine
Prof John Christie, School of Molecular Biosciences
Summary:
This PhD project will investigate how plants adapt to extreme environmental conditions, particularly high light and elevated temperatures. Specifically, the study will focus on a unique stress response observed in plants, where chloroplasts cluster around the nucleus to form a ""chloroplast shield"" that may protect nuclear DNA from damage and promote inter-organelle-communication. The research aims to understand the physiological, molecular, and evolutionary mechanisms underlying this response, with a focus on the role of the evolutionary conserved photoreceptors PHOT1 and PHOT2, which are known to regulate chloroplast movements in response to light.
The project will utilize cutting-edge techniques, including high-resolution microscopy, genetic analysis, and molecular assays, across a range of plant species, including Arabidopsis, tomato, liverworts, marine diatoms, and algae. Through this work, the project aims to uncover whether this protective response is conserved across different plant lineages and how it contributes to chloroplast-nuclear communication under stress conditions.
The findings could reveal key insights into plant resilience mechanisms in the face of climate change, with broader implications for agriculture and biotechnology. This project offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of plant physiology, molecular biology, and evolutionary ecology.