The role of auxin in root organ specification - from symbiont to parasite

This proposal investigates two agronomically important interactions of plants with microbes - the mutualistic symbiosis with nitrogen fixing bacteria and the parasitism by root knot nematodes. Both organisms cause the development of new root organs, one benefitting, the other destroying the plant. A fundamental, unknown question is how the microbes manipulate plant development for their different purposes. This project will establish new cell specific molecular techniques to a) test whether localisation of auxin is sufficient to specify the different root organs, and b) to identify new genes and proteins that regulate root organ development. This would provide researchers and breeders with new insights to design more resilient crop plants.