Proteolytic Degradation pathways and their role in plant immunity
Proteasome
The proteasome is the central degradation machinery in eukaryotes that eliminates misfolded or defective proteins as well as short-lived regulatory proteins. It is a highly specific process and relies on the ubiquitination of target proteins.
Autophagy
Autophagy (greek for "self-eating") is another degradation mechanism to recycle cell content. More and more evidences testify that autophagy is also a highly specific mechanism.
Plant Immunity
Plants have acquired a complex and multi-layered immune system to battle against plant microbes. Both the proteasome and autophagy are involved in plant defense responses and thus exploited by pathogens.
Welcome to the Üstün Lab
Our research is broadly concerned with understanding the role of protein degradation pathways such as autophagy and the proteasome in plant stress responses. Both degradation pathways are involved in a broad array of cellular processes and control multiple aspects of plant development, signalling and immunity. Deciphering the complex interplay between degradation machineries and reveal connections with other pathways such as endomembrane trafficking and RNA metabolism as well as how microbes influence these cross-talks will be a great step to advance our basic knowledge how protein degradation might control multiple aspects of plant life.
Our lab is using a combination of genetic, biochemical, microscopy, proteomic and pathogen-based approaches to elucidate the functions of degradation pathways. Our work is mainly performed using the model systems Arabidopsis thaliana, Nicotiana benthamiana, tomato, Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria and Pseudomonas syringae.
