The regulation of plasmodesmata by the vesicle tethering complex exocyst Faculty of Science, Charles University

Plasmodesmata are cell-to-cell junctions of plants, responsible for symplastic intercellular transport of metabolites, macromolecules, and signals. The biogenesis of plasmodesmata and their function is under tight developmental and regulatory control. Despite extensive research, the role of vesicular transport in plasmodesmata remains unexplored. Recently, our laboratory identified a novel, plasmodesmata-localized module of the exocyst, the protein complex responsible for targeting secretory vesicles. This PhD project aims to uncover the spatiotemporal characteristics of this novel exocyst variant in plasmodesmata and gain a mechanistic understanding of its function, through a integrative approach utilizing wide range of microscopy, genetics, computational, and biochemical analyses. It will unravel the exocyst role in regulating plasmodesmatal permeability during plant development and under stress conditions. During the PhD project, plasmodesmata exocyst protein interaction network will be also identified. In summary, the work done during this PhD project will elucidate how the regulation of exocytosis contributes to plant intercellular communication through plasmodesmata.

Five relevant publications of the research group:

Synek L, Pleskot R, Sekere

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