Signal transductionpathways regulate gene expression in response
to diverse environmental cues involving light, water, nutrient levels, etc.
Many signaling pathways use second-messenger molecules that relay
signals from receptors on the cell surface to target molecules
inside the cell, in the cytoplasm or nucleus. We aim to better understand
signaling pathways involving the second-messenger inositol triphosphate
(IP3) in plants.
Both animal and plant cells
contain IP3 phosphatases enzymes that degrade IP3 to IP2 and IP,
thus terminating IP3 signaling. In humans, mutations in genes encoding inositol phosphatases are observed in diseases such as Lowe syndrome, cancer, and myotubular myopathy, and certain IP3 phosphatases are targets of
lithium, the primary treatment for Bipolar Disorder. In
collaboration with
Glenda Gillaspy's
laboratory at Virginia Tech, we have shown that At5PTase13 regulates
signaling
pathways involving nutrient availability and the hormones abscisic acid and auxin. We are currently working
toward understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in these signaling
pathways by identifying proteins that physically interact with
At5PTase13.
