Plant Photobiology (Pierik Group)

We study how plants translate photoreceptor signals about the light environment into adaptive developmental responses, such as leaf movements, stem elongation and altered root development. These responses often involve mobile signaling components traveling from the site of signaling to the site of response, sometimes even from shoot to root! This is particularly important for growth at high planting densities, because light becomes scarce and is a resource that plants compete for.

In addition to understanding the resulting shade avoidance responses, that guide leaves away from shade, we also investigate how plants balance these responses against other environmental challenges. Molecular mechanisms of signal integration are key in our research! We also study how these plant behaviors improve (or not) plant growth and yield.

You get the opportunity to combine a variety of (confocal) microscopy, molecular biology and physiology approaches to investigate the molecular mechanisms used by plants to respond to light cues.

Topics

Shoot-to-root signaling

Photoreceptor-driven leaf movements

Signal integration

Light-regulated transcriptomes