My research investigates the molecular mechanisms by which plants sense and allocate fixed carbon and nitrogen to different end uses. In doing so, my research aims to illuminate new strategies towards engineering higher-yielding crops that are resilient to shifting environmental conditions.
Sucrose non-fermenting Related Kinase 1 (SnRK1) is a master regulator of plant carbon and nitrogen metabolism under low-nutrient conditions. SnRK1 activity is thought to be suppressed under nutrient-replete conditions by the signalling sugar trehalose-6-phosphate (T6P), but exactly how has been unresolved for over a decade. Using a combination of proteomics and molecular genetics techniques, I aim to parse the molecular mechanisms by which T6P inhibits SnRK1.
