CATRIN publication selected for Plant & Cell Physiology journal
A paper called Temporal regulation of gene expression during auxin-triggered crown root formation in barley: an integrated approach, whose first author is Nikola Kořínková from the Plant Engineering and Biotechnology group at CATRIN, was selected for the monthly selection of the best articles in Plant & Cell Physiology journal.
The study reveals specific molecular mechanisms that trigger the development of new roots in barley and mechanisms that plants can use to adapt their root system to environmental conditions. This is essential for breeding varieties with better resistance to drought or nutrient deficiency in the soil.
The article provides important new information related to the development of the barley root system and its genetic conditioning. Although nodal roots form the root system of cereals, the genetic control of their formation is still unclear, especially in barley. By integrating several approaches, the authors of the article identified dynamic auxin-controlled regulatory programs and identified two new transcriptional regulators. “This new transcriptional network not only controls barley root development, but may also contribute to its adaptation to stressful conditions,” the journal states on its Latest Research Highlights website.
“Breeding focused on the root system of cereals is still rarely used, yet it has great potential for improving crop resilience and adaptability to a changing climate. Our work brings new insights into the regulation of barley root system development, which may expand the possibilities for targeted breeding. I am really delighted by the inclusion of our paper in the Editor’s Choice. I consider it confirmation of the importance of our research and motivation for further studying the field of food security in times of a climatic change,” said lead author Nikola Kořínková, who has been studying nodal root development in barley for about eight years. She focuses specifically on ARF transcription factors and auxin-regulated molecular mechanisms.
The doctoral student completed a research stay at EEAD-CSIC in Zaragoza, Spain. She is also a member of the GeneSprout initiative, which promotes the use of new genomic techniques (NGT) for crop breeding.
