진학프로석·박사 채용 접수 플랫폼

KEYWORDS: Membrane transport, ABC proteins (ATP-binding cassette proteins), post-translational protein modifications, protein–protein interactions, in silico molecular modeling, molecular biology, in vitro plant cultures, Medicago.

Principal Investigator: Professor Michał Jasiński

Research topic Identification of intrinsic and extrinsic factors determining higher plant ABC transporter directionality.

I. Project description

The outcome of this project will provide a better mechanistic understanding of ABC transporter functionality in general. Moreover, using a mix of biochemical, in silico and structural tools we will decipher how transport directionality of ABC transporters is regulated, either intrinsically encoded or provided by external factors. The translocation mechanism of ABC transporters is usually described in terms of the alternating access model involving inward-facing and outward-facing states, with the transitions between states coupled to the binding and hydrolysis of ATP. Importantly, this conformation initiating the transport process can be reinforced by intrinsic (encoded in the primary structure) or extrinsic factors (protein modification and/or protein-protein interaction). Currently, it is unknown what kind of intrinsic or extrinsic elements impact transport directionality. Therefore, we aim to decipher these elements in several higher plant ABCGs. In order to do so, we will use inter alia two well-characterized ABCG56/40 16,17 from Medicago (legume model plant), as prototypes.

The research will be carried out as part of the project titled “Learning from plants: Identification of internal and external factors determining the polarity of ABC transporters in higher plants”, funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) under the MAPS Multilateral Academic Projects initiative and in collaboration with the National Science Centre (NCN).