Department of Ornament Plants and Biotechnology,
The Institute of Plant Sciences - Volcani Institute - Agricultural Research Organization (ARO)
68 Hamacabim Rd. Rishon Lezion, Israel
P.O. Box 15159
Zip Code 7528809
Our Lab Projects
Our research is focused on plant cell biology and root regeneration:
Adventitious root formation
Adventitious roots develop from non-root tissues, making root induction from stem
cuttings a common and crucial method for vegetative propagation. This practice is vital in
forestry, the ornamental plant industry, and the development of elite rootstocks to
enhance yield and resistance to pests, diseases, and environmental stress. Despite its
importance, a significant challenge remains in propagating valuable plants that naturally
have a low capacity to form adventitious roots or lose this ability as they mature.
Adventitious root (AR) development is regulated by a complex network of plant hormone
interactions, with auxin signalling playing a central role at every stage. Applying auxin to
the base of cuttings is a standard treatment to induce AR formation; however, many
recalcitrant plants do not respond to this treatment.
Our research focuses on two main areas:
1. Development of New Rooting Enhancers: In collaboration with Dr. Roy
Weinstain from Tel-Aviv University, we are developing new compounds to
enhance adventitious root formation in recalcitrant plants, including Eucalyptus
trees, elite Argan clones, as well as additional forest trees, rootstocks of different
fruit trees and difficult to root ornamental species.
2. Cell Biology of Adventitious Root Formation: This area of research addresses
the role of cell wall modifications in the differentiation of adventitious roots. We
also investigate various aspects of membrane trafficking, protein-protein
interactions, and post-translational modifications that influence whether
adventitious root formation occurs or if callus formation takes place instead.
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Plant Cell Biology and the Cytoskeleton
Plant myosins are classified into two main groups of unconventional myosins: myosin XI and myosin VIII, both closely related to myosin V. The Arabidopsis thaliana myosin family consists of 17 members: 13 myosin XI variants (XI-A to XI-K, XI-1, and XI-2) and 4 myosin VIII variants (ATM1, ATM2, VIII-A, and VIII-B). It is well-established that myosin XI family members drive the motility of large organelles, small vesicles, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), and the entire cytoplasm. However, the mechanism underlying this process is not fully understood. A perplexing observation is that, although the motility of Golgi stacks, peroxisomes, and mitochondria is reduced in myosin XI-K knockout mutant plants, a functional full-length myosin XI-K fused to YFP does not localize to these organelles.
Our research explores the possibility that spatial and temporal post-translational modifications of the myosin XI tail regulate its binding to different organelles.
Plant microtubules
The plant microtubule (MT) cytoskeleton is organized into two main structures. During cell division, it forms the cell-division apparatus, which sequentially develops from the preprophase band to the spindle and then to the phragmoplast. We explore the role of myosins in the MTs based cell division machinery.
During interphase, MTs form parallel arrays beneath the plasma membrane, known as cortical MTs. These cortical MTs remain tethered to the plasma membrane along their entire length during interphase.
Under the microscope, unlabeled cortical microtubules (MTs) occasionally appear as dark slits within the distribution of labeled membrane-associated proteins. One possible explanation for this is that cortical MTs may restrict the lateral diffusion of membrane proteins in the plasma membrane by acting as "fences." Our research indicates that stable membrane-associated protein complexes can form barriers in the path of MTs, causing shifts in their orientation.
