TIPNET · Molecular and cellular mechanisms of tip growth in plant cells

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Project objective

TIPNET aims to offer multidisciplinary training within a scientific network of groups providing complementary expertise on research in tip growing plant cells. Tip growth is a fundamental biological process characteristic of long, tubular, invasive cells. In higher plants, it is most evident in root hairs, where it plays a primordial function in promoting the contact between plant and soil, and in pollen tubes, where it is responsible for the conduction of the male germ unit in the female apparatus. In agronomy, tip growth therefore is of economical importance by permitting the upe of nutrients and successful fertilization. Tip-growth depends on the coordination of numerous molecular and cellular processes needed for the production of a new cellular compartment. Once initiated tip-growth may appear as a most efficient autonomous process. However, the direction and rate of extension at the tip are modulated by a variety of internal factors and external signals, e.g. structural and biochemical features, cellular feedback mechanisms, and environmental effects. Despite major progress over the last few decades, the information on the machinery ruling tip-growth is still fragmentary and scattered among the various biological disciplines. Therefore, input from scientists with an integral and multidisciplinary view, able to apply complementary techniques, is an absolute requirement for further understanding of such a complex mechanism as tip-growth. These coordinated efforts from different disciplines and laboratories are also essential to gain insight into general cell biological problems, and they provide the desired synoptic environment for young scientists, whose training is the major objective of this proposal. Scientific outcomes expected are an understanding of the structural, physiological and molecular mechanisms of tip-growth in plant cells, to obtain GFP transformants and mutant plants and their proteins, and to characterize novel genes and

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA · WIENCoordinatorAustria
• AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY OF ATHENS · ATHENSGreece
• FUNDAÇAO DA FACULDADE DE CIENCIAS DA UNIVERSIDADE DE LISBOA · LISBOAPortugal
• INSTITUT NATIONAL DE LA RECHERCHE AGRONOMIQUE · PARISFrance
• INSTITUTE OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY - ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE CZECH REPUBLIC · PRAHA 6Czechia
• JOHN INNES CENTRE · NORWICHUnited Kingdom
• RHEINISCHE FRIEDRICH-WILHELMS-UNIVERSITAET BONN · BONNGermany
• STICHTING KATHOLIEKE UNIVERSITEIT · NIJMEGENNetherlands
• UNIVERSITY OF DURHAM · DURHAMUnited Kingdom
• UNIVERSITY OF VIENNA · WIENAustria

Links

• View on CORDIS