Chloroplast signalling gates

Thermotolerance in
Arabidopsis
Izzi Whitley
Introduction

• Plants are stationary so can’t actively move to a favourable

environment

• Exposed to many stresses

• Heat stresses are important on a small and large scale

Overall model

Chloroplast Signalling

The Morning Cluster

and HSPs

Thermotolerance
Assays
Heat Shock
Proteins • HSP70
(HSPs)
• Chaperones

• Refold misfolded proteins

• Prevent protein aggregation

• Protect against heat stress

• (Mohamed H. Al-Whaibi, 2011)
The Morning • Stress-related genes
• Promoters enriched in Heat Shock
Cluster Elements (HSEs)
Chloroplast • Found mutated lines with increased
Signalling HSP70 production

• ss4 mutant

• Linked to PQ pool reduction

H2O2
Activation Expression
Light production in
of HSFs of HSPs
chloroplast
Chloroplast • Circadian clock
Signalling
 • Phytochrome and Cryptochrome receptors
Chloroplast
Signalling
Chloroplast • Time of day

Signalling

17°C 27°C
 • Exposed Arabidopsis to a heat shock
Thermotolerance
assays • Diurnal pattern of thermotolerance
 Conclusion

• Light ‘primes’ the thermotolerance response to heat

• Arabidopsis has a diurnal pattern of thermotolerance

• Important with the changing climate due to climate change

• However, it does have limitations and room for further study

• Questions?