Role of brassinosteroids in formation of second messangers in the regulation of plant metabolism adaptation

Work number - M 24 ALLOWED TO PARTICIPATE

Author: Derevyanchuk M.V.

Presented by the Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry NAS of Ukraine.

The cycle of scientific works consists of 10 scientific papers published within 5 years.

  The work aims to clarify the characteristics of the system of intracellular lipid signaling, regulation of electron transport in the mitochondrial respiratory chain in the  result of biological effects of brassinosteroids (BRs) in plant cells under optimal conditions and under abiotic stresses.

A number of fundamental results were established, in particular, role of BAK1 kinase of hormone receptor complex in formation of lipid second messengers, including diacylglycerol (DAG) and phosphatidic acid (PA). Using of specific inhibitors of enzymes phosphatases of phosphatidic acid and 1,2-diacylglycerol kinases led to the conclusion that in response to BRs phosphatidylcholine-hydrolyzing phospholipases C and diacylglycerol kinases were activated to produce PA and DAG. Аseries of the work contains the priority results of BRs involvement into regulation of electron transport in the respiratory chain. For the first time we have found that the regulation of electron transport chain by BRs in the plant mitochondria is mediated via hormone kinase receptor complex BRI1. It was established that BRs involved in the induction of synthesis of a number of stress proteins while inhibitor brassinazol decreased their level. New approaches were used (methods of bioinformatics) to identify the probable molecular chaperones that may be involved in energy homeostasis in organelles. The author staged new unconventional tasks: for the first in vivo it was found that BRs-induced electron transport prevents formation of reactive oxygen species. The results are important for the deep understanding of the mechanisms of brassinosteroids action and development of technologies for the use of physiologically active substances for growing crops in zones of risky agriculture.

The research results described in 29 publications, including 10 articles in refereed journals.