AP-MS and organ growth in plants: from cells to tissues

At the very basis of cellular structure and function lie networks of short- and long-term molecular interactions. My research team develops interactomic tools for plants and runs a state of the art AP-MS platform for protein complex isolation. Through its high specificity and explanatory power, our platform steadily became a central –omics tool in our research department. Complexes got isolated for hundreds of proteins involved in cell growth and proliferation control leading towards protein discovery, functional analysis of protein complexes, and the mapping of protein networks involved in plant organ growth. We started in cell cultures, but steadily moved towards Arabidopsis seedlings, to finally end up into crop plants. Their bigger organs make them particularly suitable for the study of the complex regulation of organ growth in a developmental context. We obtained proof of concept for the study of protein complex dynamics during leaf growth and demonstrate its use for organ growth engineering.