Plant stress responses across five species

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Silvio Waschina
• Subject Area: Plant Physiology ; Bioinformatics and Theoretical Biology ; Organismic Interactions, Chemical Ecology and Microbiomes of Plant Systems
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 515385982

Plants face complex challenges when exposed to biotic and abiotic stressors, leading to intricate molecular responses. Recent research suggests that studying individual stress responses cannot explain the interplay of different stressors, such as heat and pathogen invasion. Therefore, the molecular mechanisms underlying these combined stress responses, especially in non-model plant species, often remain elusive. In Project Z1, we will conduct a core experiment to study how the five plant species in our Research Unit (Cakile maritima (sea rocket), Chenopodium quinoa (quinoa), Hordeum vulgare (barley), Stuckenia pectinata (pondweed), Zostera marina (seagrass)) respond to combined stress treatments. In the core experiment, plants are subjected to single and simultaneous stressors, namely heat stress and elicitor exposure, to trigger responses to biotic stress. Our approach combines QuantSeq 5' transcriptomics to measure gene expression and untargeted metabolomics for comprehensive metabolic profiles. We will thereby generate an unprecedented multi-omics dataset of plant transcriptional and metabolic responses to single and combined stress. We will analyze the data using a systems biology approach based on integrating data in genome-scale metabolic network models. Using metabolic networks as a data analysis framework, we aim to uncover and compare key metabolic processes in the plants' responses to combined stress. Our primary objective is to create a comprehensive database encompassing gene expression data, metabolite profiles, and relevant metabolic pathways. This database will allow us to assess which stress response pathways are shared between species and stressors. It will also serve as a valuable resource for studying the collective impact of various stressors on plant species inhabiting terrestrial and aquatic habitats. The Z1 project will be central to the RU as the different Sub-Projects (SPs) will be able to relate their findings to this reference dataset. Likewise, we will use data generated in the SPs to interpret our findings further. The Z1 project will collaborate closely with the Z2 project to understand the physiological stress responses in light of plant-microbial interactions. Finally, to enhance collaboration within our Research Unit and ensure our research findings' reliability and reproducibility, Z1 will offer support and standardized protocols for metabolomic and transcriptomic phenotyping. The Z1 support and protocols will cover all aspects of multi-omics characterization of plant material, from sample preparation to data analysis.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 5640: Physiological and Evolutionary Adaptation of Plants to Co-occurring Abiotic and Biotic Challenges
• Co-Investigators: Professorin Dr. Karin Schwarz; Professor Dr. Remco Stam