Modeling the multicellular dynamics of the suberization wavefront in Arabidopsis

This project will be supervised by Pau Formosa-Jordan at the Max Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research.

Abstract:

In the Arabidopsis root, the endodermal cell layer undergoes the process of suberin deposition, which confers a hydrophobic secondary cell wall. This allows the more mature parts of the root to prevent the influx of unwanted compounds. Proper suberin deposition is important for correct physiological homeostasis in the shoot, and suberin deposition is known to occur dynamically in response to certain nutrients and phytohormones. While this process generally occurs synchronized with growth, it can be regarded as a progressing differentiation wavefront, propagating from the uppermost part of the endodermis towards the root tip. The suberization speed can be manipulated with phytohormones such as abscisic acid, but how this dynamic process occurs remains unknown. This PhD project aims to quantitatively characterize and understand how this differentiation wavefront progresses and is modulated by specific  external cues at the single cell level. The PhD project will combine quantitative image analysis of confocal images of growing roots and mathematical modeling, and will be carried out in close collaboration with the Andersen lab at the MPIPZ, who will provide the experimental expertise on root suberization. This PhD position would suit a motivated student with a quantitative background such as physics, mathematics, engineering, computer science, systems biology, quantitative biology or a similar discipline. Some previous experience in computer programming is required, and basic knowledge of dynamical systems theory is desirable.

Group homepage: https://www.mpipz.mpg.de/formosa

Key publication: Negrete J, Oates AC (2021) Towards a physical understanding of developmental patterning. Nat Rev Genet 22:518–531. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41576-021-00355-7