Plant-ER Lecture: Cell-cell communication dynamics enables variable temperature processing in shoot apex

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Trees in boreal and temperate regions undergo annual cycle of growth and dormancy. In order to survive winter, growth in shoot apex terminates and shoot apical meristem and growth arrested leaf primordia are enclosed within an apical bud. Growth arrest in buds is maintained through the winter by establishment of bud dormancy. For reactivating growth in spring during bud break, dormancy must be released. Dormancy is released gradually by prolonged exposure to low temperature so that bud break can be timed to coincide with the onset of spring. Dormancy release must be tightly regulated because premature dormancy release cause frost damage to buds. Robust temporal regulation of dormancy release requires buds to integrate a highly noisy temperature signal, the mechanism of which has remained elusive. I will describe our recent findings that reveal how dynamic regulation of cell-cell communication acts as a variable temperature processing system for robust regulation of dormancy release in model tree hybrid aspen.

 

Time:                 Thursday, November 20th, 2:15 PM

Location:          Lecture Hall B

Host                   Prof. Dr. Uwe Sonnewald