Defining Retriever-Mediated Protein Recycling Pathways that Regulate Root Growth in Arabidopsis
Gorman, Nicole
Gorman, Nicole
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Abstract
Roots are an underexplored target for developing sustainable agricultural practices, despite evidence that they are critical for maintaining crop yields under the increasing environmental stresses associated with climate change (Reynolds et al., 2021; Herms, 2022). Improving root growth can enhance water and nutrient uptake and therefore reduce agricultural inputs while sustaining productivity (Voothuluru et al., 2024). Plant responses to environmental signals depend on the tightly regulated composition of proteins at the plasma membrane. Trafficking pathways that sort membrane proteins for recycling or degradation are essential for maintaining proper balance. These pathways are important targets for crop improvement because protein recycling has been linked to root and root hair growth in Arabidopsis (Jha et al., 2018; Lewis et al., 2022). This project will define the role of the endosomal trafficking complex retriever, which functions in protein recycling pathways that return proteins to the plasma membrane (McNally et al., 2017; Lewis unpublished) and is required for root growth in Arabidopsis (Jha et al., 2018; Lewis et al., 2022). First, I will use a genetic approach to determine the subcellular localization of retriever subunits. Next, I will use proximity labeling and mass spectrometry to identify retriever-interacting proteins in vivo, using two retriever subunits VACUOLAR PROTEIN SORTING 26C (VPS26C) and COILED-COIL DOMAIN CONTAINING 22 (CCDC22) as bait (Jha et al., 2018; Lewis et al., 2022). After confirming protein interactions by FRET, I will characterize loss-of-function mutants in candidate plasma membrane proteins to test their roles in root growth. Finally, studies in tomato will test whether similar protein trafficking mechanisms operate in this crop species. Together, these studies will provide the first evidence for retriever-mediated recycling of plasma membrane proteins in plants and will likely identify proteins that regulate root growth in response to environmental signals.
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Date
1/1/2026
Student Status
Graduate Student
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Poster
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Plant Biology
College/School
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
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Life Science