Michael Blatt
University of Glasgow
Mike Blatt has researched in the plant sciences for more than four decades and is recognised globally for his studies of stomatal guard cells, photosynthesis and water use by plants. Mike is one of a handful of experts in electrophysiology focusing on plants His research interests centre around the biophysics and physiology of membranes, including the interactions between trafficking and ion transport proteins that coordinate plant cell expansion. In recent years, his attention has evolved to questions around how plants regulate gas exchange to maximise CO2 uptake for photosynthesis while minimising water loss by evaporation through stomata. To this end, he developed the first mechanistic and quantitative modelling platform that describes stomata and spans dimensions from molecule to the field. Mike is now using this platform as a guide to bioengineering of transport for enhanced stomatal function, water use and photosynthetic efficiencies.
Title of presentation
Learning from K+ channel structure and function - GORK and natural variants from the C4 relative Gynandropsis
Authors
Michael R Blatt1, Peng Zhang2, Thu Nguyen1, Fernanda ALS Alvim1, William Carroll1, Xue Zhang2, Thanh-Hao Nguyen1, Jonas Alvim1, Zhao Yang2, Miaolian Ma2, Xxiaowei Huang2, Hui Guo2, Adrian Hills1, Rucha Karnik1, Andrew R Harvey3, and Julian Hibberd4
1Laboratory of Plant Physiology and Biophysics, and the School of Molecular Biosciences, Bower Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
2National Key Laboratory of Plant Molecular Genetics, CAS Centre for Excellence in Molecular Plant Sciences, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Shanghai China
3Physics & Astronomy, Kelvin Building, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK
4Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 3EA UK
Abstract
As a strategy for water use efficiency and biomass production, accelerating stomata has proven viable through synthetic optogenetics and mutations that enhance guard cell K+ flux. Here I outline some of our discoveries from cryoEM analysis of the Arabidopsis thaliana GORK K+ channel structure. I examine features of GORK gating mutants and the natural variant GROK from the related model C4 species Gynandropsis gynandra. These molecular features contribute to gating, facilitate K+ flux, and speed stomatal movements. Some will clearly translate to crop species to enhance water use efficiency and biomass gains. For GROK, the evidence also speaks to the puzzle of how C4 plant have evolved mechanisms that enhance water use efficiency and growth under stress.
My Sessions
Learning from K+ channel structure and function - GORK and natural variants from the C4 relative Gynandropsis
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Presentation