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

PLAMORF objectives are:

  • Functional analysis of RNA molecules that are exchanged between distant tissues / cells to determine the mechanisms in such adaptations.
  • Analysis of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes that are present in and transported via the phloem vasculature to identify the repertoire of long-distance movement.
  • A global analysis of single cell transcriptomes from grafted and non-grafted adult plants to establish tissue/cell-specific transcriptomic responses and adaptation to environmental changes.
  • Determine RBP binding sites and RNA primary & secondary structure motifs of mobile RNAs.
  • Computationally predict and experimentally measure RBP binding characteristics and constants to dissect the mode of binding and possible specific interactions.
  • Model the encoding and decoding mechanisms and their contributions to cellular programs (linked gene regulatory networks) to determine the amount of information being transported, inter-organ information flux and channel capacity.

PLAMORF will answer the following questions

  • Which mobile RNAs are signals for different nutrient stresses? (WP1)
  • How are mobile RNAs distributed to distinct tissues? (WP1)
  • How do networks integrate incoming RNA signals? (WP1)
  • How specific is RNA mobility? (WP1, WP2)
  • Which RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are important for transport? (WP2)
  • Which structures or motifs do RBPs recognise? (WP2)
  • What is the structure of mobile RBPs and ribonucleoproteins (RNPs)? (WP2)