Examine the crosstalk between environmental responses and developmental programs – aiming to develop plants that grow well in extreme environments | Research Subjects | Tomomichi Fujita Laboratory, Hokkaido University [ Laboratory of Plant Evolutionary and Developmental Biology ]

Examine the crosstalk between environmental responses and developmental programs – aiming to develop plants that grow well in extreme environments

Looking at the molecular mechanism of cross talk between environmental responses and developmental programs - aiming to develop plants that grow well in extreme environments

1. Examining abscisic acid signal, cell cycle, proliferation and differentiation control programs.

2. Studying the molecular mechanisms of cell cycle factors for controlling stress responses and responding to environmental information.

3. Researching the switch in between asymmetric and symmetric cell division in response to environmental stress and the resulting cell fate transformations.

4. Studying the growth and environmental responses of plants in the microgravity environment of space, including analysis of the effects of microgravity and high gravity on growth, morphogenesis and photosynthesis.

5. Understanding the molecular mechanisms for resistance of UV radiation, and the plant responses to cosmic radiation.

6. Examining the drought-resistance mechanisms of brood cells to clarify the molecular-level differences between brood and normal cells.

7. Examining the responses of plants exhibit to music, and, perhaps even to love.

Learn more about the research

Multicellular organisms need to control the number and type of cells that compose their bodies. We observed that, in plants, the stress hormone abscisic acid controls cell division mode in stem cells and that it switches the division mode from asymmetric to symmetric cell division, creating stress-resistant cells. This type of division pattern switching shows the ability of plants to control cell type and cell fate as they adapt to environmental changes. We also noticed that a protein that controls cell cycles may also control stress responses. I believe that this protein holds the key to the cross talk between plant cell proliferation and stress responses.

By uncovering how environmental stress and growth programs coordinately control plant growth, it may be possible to develop plants that grow hardily even in extreme environments.

Therefore we will use a biological approach (systems biology) to comprehensively analyse the stress-responsive gene network, with the goal of growing plants in rocky areas and deserts.

Mosses generally grow in moist areas, leading to the perception that they are susceptible to drought. However, the brood cells of many mosses have phenomenal drought resistance. Brood cells can actually revive and restore the entire plant without dying even if over 90% of their water content is lost. Determining the mechanisms of the remarkable drought resistance of brood cells may help improve the drought resistance of other plants.

We also continue to advance our analysis of the molecular mechanisms that protect stress resistant cells against drought, high temperatures, UV radiation, etc. Mosses also are pioneer plants, which can develop soil where none is available. By shedding light on the secret of brood cells and the mystery of their environmental stress resistance, we will improve our understanding of the development of plants that grow well even in hostile environments. By this research, we hope to resolve food, environmental and other problems. We are proceeding with experiments on plant resistance to UV radiation, microgravity, etc. in space in cooperation with JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency).