PhD

Plants secrete numerous small peptides in the apoplast upon different stimuli, e.g. the phytohormone salicylic acid (SA).  The accumulation of SA leads to the release of signaling peptides, which can important transmitters in plant immunity pathways and play crucial roles in immune homeostasis. Such immune-modulating signaling peptides are called phytocytokines and are usually released from precursor proteins by proteolytic cleavage mediated by proteases. The proteases involved in the cleavage of proteases, e.g. serine hydrolases (SHs), need to be activated precisely for an exact timing of the release of peptides. So far, only a few phytocytokines have been described in maize. 

Furthermore, the proteases that cleave the propeptides remain largely elusive. My project deals with the identification and characterization of phytocytokines released upon SA accumulation, as well as the roles of SHs in producing phytocytokines in response to SA.

University of Cologne

CEPLAS / Institiute for Plant Sciences
Chair of Terrestrial Microbiology
Zülpicher Straße 47a
D-50674 Cologne