Decoding the molecular basis of lateral root stem cell specification in plants

The de novo lateral root (LR) organogenesis represents a major evolutionary innovation, which has provided sessile organims like plants the capacity to forgae for water and nutrients. LRs play major roles in plant growth and survival. The host lab is a pioneer in discovering that LR organogenesis requires the de novo establishment of stem cells.

Despite several years of research using classical approches, the exact molecular mechanisms underlying lateral root stem cell (LRSC) specification remain largely elusive and it is not known how these mechanisms emerged during plant evolution.

To address these fundamental questions, I will use the evolutionay pivotal but underexplored plant Ceratopteris richardii (C-fern), a representative of the ferns, as model system.

Ferns and seed plants diverged during middle Devonian period from a common ancestor, which had developped lateral roots suggesting that a number of of key genes might be conserved among them. by using a simpler version of roots like those of C-fern, I will reveal genes controlling LRSC specification.

To achieve this aim, I will combine my expertise in molecular biology with multidisciplnary approches such as single cell RNA sequencing, bioinformatics, genome editing and cell biology. The outcomes of the project will revolutionize the field of stem cell and LR development. The project will be manged by myself 100% of working time throughout 3-years.

I will be supervised by Prof. Tom Beeckman at VIB-UGent, Belgium.