Characterization of molecular factors involved in plant metabolic and morphological reprogramming during gall formation

ABSTRACT: Understanding how plant tissue and organs may be transformed into novel structures by other organisms provides a unique opportunity to study the molecular processes that dictate facets of plant anatomy and morphology. Certain groups of wasps have evolved the ability to transform plant tissues into ornate structures called galls, which provide shelter and nutrition for their larvae. However, the exact mechanism for how gall wasps remodel the plant’s physical structure and metabolism is still largely unknown. At their core, galls alter the morphology and repurpose the function of plant tissue. One common trait that unites all galls is the distinct cellular reprogramming and tumor-like growth that is necessary to produce a gall. There are over 1,400 gall wasps from the family Cynipidae, resulting in a wide diversity of gall structures, shapes, and colors that have been described. Thus, discovering the core molecular determinants that dictate the radical transformation of plant cells will help reveal principles of how plant morphology and function can be rewired by external factors. Little molecular work has been done to elucidate the factors (i.e., genes, proteins, or small molecules) that may be involved in this dramatic repurposing and dedifferentiation of plant tissue. We plan to utilize modern -omics approaches to investigate and identify the molecular factors that underlie the initiation and development of plant galls. The work (proposal:https://doi.org/10.46936/10.25585/60000461) conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy Joint Genome Institute (https://ror.org/04xm1d337), a DOE Office of Science User Facility, is supported by the Office of Science of the U.S. Department of Energy operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-05CH11231.

INSTRUMENT(S): Q Exactive

ORGANISM(S): Quercus

SUBMITTER: Patrick Shih  

PROVIDER: MSV000093296 | MassIVE | Fri Nov 03 15:18:00 GMT 2023

REPOSITORIES: MassIVE