Challenge

PLAMORF focuses on Plant Mobile RNAs: Function, Transport and Features.

An essential consequence of multi-cellularity is the need for intercellular and tissue-wide communication, which happens through transport of signalling molecules. In higher plants long-distance transport of signalling molecules occurs mainly via  the phloem.

In addition to small molecules, a remarkably large number of macromolecules such as micro RNAs (miRNAs), protein producing messenger RNAs (mRNAs), and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) have been identified in the phloem, representing additional classes of signalling molecules.

Research questions and approach

  • How are mobile RNAs selected for transport?
  • How specific is RNA mobility?
  • What determines their destination?
  • How are these signals processed in the destination cells?

We develop predictive models, using single cell transcriptomics to establish cell-type specific RNA transport and motifs, and study the structure, affinity, and functions of phloem transported RNAs associated proteins. We combine the advantages of the agronomically important oilseed rape with the well-established A. thaliana belonging to the same plant family.

The ERC

PLAMORF is funded by the European Research Council (ERC). The ERC, set up by the EU in 2007, is the premiere European funding organisation for excellent frontier research. Every year, it selects and funds the very best, creative researchers of any nationality and age, to run projects based in Europe.

The ERC offers four core grant schemes: Starting, Consolidator, Advanced and Synergy Grants. With its additional Proof of Concept grant scheme, the ERC helps grantees to bridge the gap between grantees’ pioneering research and early phases of its commercialisation.

PLAMORF is…

Objectives

Consortium

News & Blog

PUBLICATION: A Phenotypic Search on Graft Compatibility in Grapevine

New publication: A Phenotypic Search on Graft Compatibility in Grapevine. Grafting is the most used propagation method in viticulture but is limited in practice by inconsistent graft success and difficulties in predicting graft compatibility of proposed scion–rootstock combinations.

Interview with PI Richard Morris

PLAMORF interview with Richard Morris, group leader at the John Innes Centre, about his team’s work in the first year of PLAMORF, how Covid-19 affects their progress, what is planned next and what makes a good scientist.

Video method paper: Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Assay to Study m5C Modification in Arabidopsis.

Video method paper: Methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation Assay to Study m5C Modification in Arabidopsis. This publication in the world's leading peer-reviewed, PubMed-indexed scientific video journal describes a method to enrich for methylated RNA and identify modified transcripts (MeRIP-seq).

PLAMORF in a nutshell

Fact box

Title: Plant mobile RNAs: function, transport and features (PLAMORF)
Start: 1.4.2019
Duration: 6 years
Keywords: plant, tranport, mobile RNA, signalling, phloem, RNA-binding proteins, oilseed rape, A. thaliana
Budget: 6.1 million
Funding: ERC synergy grant

Research groups:

Friedrich Kragler, Max-Planck-Institut für Molekulare Pflanzenphysiologie, Golm, Germany
Julia Kehr, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
Richard Morris, John Innes Centre, Norwich, United Kingdom

 

Acknowledgements

This project has received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant agreement No. 810131)