Welcome to the research projects of Prof. Dr. Julia Kehr
Long-distance signalling through the phloem plays a crucial role in regulating growth and development, as well as responses to environmental stresses and pathogen attack in higher plants. We characterise specific mobile RNAs that can act as such systemic signals and RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) involved in their transport. Many of the RBPs forming ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNPs) are able to undergo phase separation to build biomolecular condensates. We study the dynamics and functions of such protein-RNA condensates in vitro and in vivo.
Projects currently running include: