Genomics meets Cell Biology: A Chemical and Proteomic Approach to Dissect Endosome Sorting Networks In Vivo

• Applicant: Dr. Wiebke Apel
• Subject Area: Plant Cell and Developmental Biology
• Term: from 2010 to 2012
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 168244645

Although it is known that proteins are delivered to and recycled from the plasma membrane (PM) via endosomes, the nature of many of the endosomal compartments and the pathways responsible for cargo and vesicle sorting and cellular signaling is poorly understood (1,2). Joining the Raikhel lab offers me an opportunity to study distinct endosome pathways and their associated compartments and cargoes, and also to dissect the underlying machinery that controls this intracellular sorting network. Dr. Raikhel’s laboratory offers great expertise in this field and has pioneered a novel approach to the study of this cellbiological problem that involves identifying components of this trafficking system by using a combination of chemical genetics and proteomics. The significance of dissecting these processes is broad-based in that these sorting mechanisms can control the distribution of cellular receptors, transporters and other proteins that are critical for plant development or responses of plants to pathogens and environmental changes. Thus, results expected to arise from this project have significance with regard to unraveling basic cell biological processes and to applications in agriculture.

• DFG Programme: Research Fellowships
• International Connection: USA
• Host: Professorin Natasha Raikhel