Characterization of two receptor-like kinases MIK2 and SIMP1 in modulating leaf senescence and salt stress responses of Arabidopsis thaliana

Summary

Leaf senescence plays a critical role in enhancing plant fitness and holds significant agricultural importance. In this project, I made a molecular characterization of receptor-like kinases, MIK2 and SIMP1, in modulating Arabidopsis leaf senescence and salt stress responses. I discovered that MIK2 functioned as a negative regulator of both age-dependent and dark-induced senescence, while SIMP1 served as a positive regulator during leaf senescence. Subsequently, MIK2 and SIMP1 was associated with senescence process of leaf through interaction with distinct phytohormone signaling pathway, respectively. Through a comparative analysis of transcriptome, WRKY30 and WRKY53 were identified as potential downstream components responsible for the opposite senescence phenotypes in mik2 and srk2 mutants. Furthermore, MIK2 was also characterized as negative player controlling salt stress responses. Ultimately, those current progresses would provide with more possibilities for translating basic research into practical applications for increasing crop yield and quality, especially for plant breeding in agriculture.