Speaker: David Mendoza-Cózatl, University of Missouri Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center professor of plant science and technology

Title: The knowns and unknowns of iron homeostasis in plants

Abstract: Iron (Fe) is an essential nutrient for plants with critical roles in respiration and photosynthesis. Plants are the main source of Fe for humans and Fe deficiency is the most prevalent nutritional deficiency in the world. Thus, understanding the mechanisms by which plants sense and accumulate Fe to edible tissues will help developing more nutritious crops.

In recent years, there have been significant advances in the identification of molecular players that regulate Fe homeostasis, particularly in roots. However, it has also become clear that leaves have autonomous Fe sensing mechanisms, but the molecular basis behind these processes remain unknown. Our recent data suggest that even within the Arabidopsis rosette, the timing and magnitude of Fe deficiency responses can be tracked in a leaf-specific manner consistent with sink-source relationships. Moreover, we have identified AtNEET, an iron-sulfur protein, as a necessary component of the Fe sensing mechanism in leaves. In yeast, iron-sulfur clusters are at the core of Fe sensing but attempts to prove an equivalent mechanism in plants have returned inconclusive results. During the seminar, I will discuss the role of AtNEET in Fe sensing and present our recent model of leaf-specific iron deficiency responses in Arabidopsis.

Host: Michelle Guo, GDCB assistant professor