Page 212 - PC2019 Program & Proceedings

PLANT CANADA 2019

S209. Evolutionary insights into the role of shikimate kinase-like 1 in chloroplast biogenesis
*
Kanaris, M. ; D. Christendat; J. Lee
University of Toronto

Chloroplast biology represents one of the most intensely studied topics within plant research that seeks to
understand the complex processes related to photosynthesis. Shikimate kinase-like 1 (SKL1), a gene
homolog of the well-studied shikimate kinase involved in the shikimate pathway, has been implicated in
chloroplast biogenesis. Arabidopsis thaliana skl1 T-DNA insertional mutant (skl1-8) lacks developed
chloroplasts and displays an albino phenotype. We are investigating the functional evolution of SKL1
through comparative mutational and biochemical analyses of a number plant species including A.
thaliana, Physcomitrella patens, and Marchantia polymorpha, some of which include the earliest
ancestral plants that contain an SKL1 homolog. Results from analyses thus far have shown that SKL1 has
maintained its ancestral function by complementing skl1-8 mutants with P. patens SKL1. The absence of
SKL1 in organisms predating land plants, including green algae, make it an attractive candidate to study
plant evolution. The major goal of this research seeks to expand our current knowledge on the topic of
chloroplast biogenesis to understand how SKL1 participates in this complex process, and to provide
knowledge on the evolution of SKL1 as a novel functional protein based on the divergence from
shikimate kinase.

Michael Kanaris (michael.kanaris@mail.utoronto.ca)

S210. Investigating quinate metabolism
Gritsunov, A. ; D. Christendat
*
University of Toronto

Quinate is an abundant compound found in green plant tissue that is used in the biosynthesis of
chlorogenic acids (CGAs). CGAs are antioxidants, UV light protectants and have antifungal properties.
Recently, several genes were characterized as quinate dehydrogenases and proposed to be involved in
quinate metabolism. We are conducting in vivo work to confirm the role of these genes in Solanaceae and
Brassicaceae quinate metabolism. S. lycopersicum was found to have two genes involved in both
anabolic and catabolic quinate metabolism. We are aiming to generate S. lycopersicum knockout mutants
with CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Concurrently, we generated overexpression mutants in A. thaliana, a
species which lacks quinate dehydrogenase genes. Once stable transgenic lines are generated we are
hoping to conduct a series of metabolite analyses as well as to investigate the evolutionary advantages of
quinate in biotic stress responses.

Artyom Gritsunov (artyom.gritsunov@mail.utoronto.ca)

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