Foundation Professor Federica Brandizzi is Discovering How Plants Make Life-and-Death Decisions

Researchers from the Brandizzi lab at Michigan State University discovered two proteins that work in tandem when dealing with life-and-death decisions in plants, offering new insights into improving plant resilience.

Federica Brandizzi is a MSU Research Foundation Professor in the Department of Plant Biology and at the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory (PRL). Courtesy image.

EAST LANSING, Mich. — Researchers at Michigan State University, led by Federica Brandizzi, an MSU Research Foundation Professor in the Department of Plant Biology and at the MSU-DOE Plant Research Laboratory (PRL), have identified two proteins that collaborate to determine cell fate in plants under stress. This discovery, recently published in Nature Communications, emerged during a moment of personal relaxation for a key member of Brandizzi’s team.

Postdoctoral researcher Noelia Pastor-Cantizano, working in Brandizzi’s Lab, was on a bus heading to the airport for a vacation when she decided to share a promising result gathered the previous day. "I didn’t want to wait ten days until I came back to send it. It took almost two years to get there," Pastor-Cantizano said, reflecting on the team's efforts.

The focus of their research was identifying a gene in the model plant Arabidopsis that could regulate the plant’s response to stressors leading to potential death. Brandizzi’s team pinpointed a protein in Arabidopsis that appeared to control whether a plant would survive under stress conditions.

The researchers discovered that the proteins BON-associated protein2 (BAP2) and inositol-requiring enzyme 1 (IRE1) work together under stress conditions, crucial for plant cell survival. Understanding these proteins’ functions can aid in breeding more resilient plants.

Creating plants resistant to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress has significant agricultural implications. If crops can withstand drought or heat better, they have a greater chance of thriving despite climate change.

Eukaryotic cells contain an organelle known as the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), responsible for creating and folding proteins into usable shapes. Like a kitchen where balance is key, protein making and folding must be synchronized. When the ER cannot function properly, it enters a state known as ER stress, triggering the unfolded protein response (UPR) to decide the cell’s fate. If unresolved, the cell shuts down, risking the plant's life.

It was known that the enzyme IRE1 directed mechanisms to save or kill the cell, but what activated IRE1 was unclear. Brandizzi's lab aimed to find the master regulator of programmed cell death.

“I had the idea because irritable bowel disease is linked to a mutation in a gene controlled by IRE1 in humans,” Brandizzi said. “Humans are diverse, and so are plants. So I looked into plant diversity for new findings in the UPR.”

The researchers examined hundreds of accessions, plants of the same species from different locales, to identify variations in ER stress responses. This led to the discovery of the BAP2 gene candidate.

“We found that BAP2 responds to ER stress,” said Pastor-Cantizano, now a postdoc at the University of Valencia. “It controls and modifies IRE1’s activity, and IRE1 regulates BAP2 expression.” The interaction between BAP2 and IRE1 determines the cell’s response, and without one, the plant dies when ER homeostasis is unbalanced.

This project spanned over seven years, with researchers meticulously planting Arabidopsis seeds and observing their growth and responses. The work required delicate, time-intensive efforts.

“Research in our lab is fueled by enthusiasm and gratitude to make important contributions to science,” said Brandizzi. “The work was herculean, possible only through the dedication of a wonderful team.”

Brandizzi is a MSU Research Foundation Professor, a title granted to highly accomplished current or incoming faculty members recommended by their college or dean. These distinguished researchers excel in their fields, furthering scholarly, disciplinary, or research areas crucial to MSU. Recipients retain the title throughout their tenure and typically receive scholarly support for the first five years after recognition. More than 60 professors have been honored with the MSU Research Foundation Professor title.

Read the full story at prl.natsci.msu.edu.

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About the MSU Research Foundation

The MSU Research Foundation supports the Michigan State University ecosystem with resources that increase the impact of research and innovation. The Foundation achieves its mission through grant programs that contribute over $11 million annually to the University, entrepreneurial programming and early-stage investments that accelerate technology transfer and startup growth throughout Michigan, and environments where startup businesses and collaborators can thrive. The Foundation's work is made possible through its stewardship of a flexible and sustainable endowment, nourished by over 50 years of licensing revenues and investment returns. Learn more about the MSU Research Foundation and its impact at msufoundation.org