[2016 Spring Life Sciences & IBB Regular Seminar] ▶Subject: Function and regulation of the plant SnRK1 energy-sensing kinase ▶Speaker: Prof. Filip Rolland (Laboratory of Molecular Plant Biology, KU Leuven) ▶Date: 4:00PM/May. 6(Fri.)/2016 ▶Place: Auditorium(1F), Postech Biotech Center *Abctract As autotrophic and sessile organisms, plants are constantly challenged by stressful environmental conditions that limit nutrient and energy supplies. However, as opposed to animals, they display an open (indeterminate), mainly post-embryonic development in function of their environment, supported by a remarkably flexible and dynamic physiology. Photosynthesis and carbon metabolism generate a variety of ‘sugar signals’ that interact with environmental, hormonal, and metabolic cues to modulate most vital processes, ensuring an optimal use of resources. Significant progress has been made in elucidating the role of sugars as regulatory molecules and the molecular mechanisms involved. Conversely, the plant SnRK1 protein kinase (the ortholog of yeast SNF1 and mammalian AMPK) acts as an evolutionarily conserved ‘fuel gauge’ that controls reprogramming of gene expression and metabolism in response to biotic and a-biotic stress conditions that compromise photosynthesis, respiration and carbon allocation. Activating catabolism while repressing energy-consuming anabolic processes when energy supply is limited, SnRK1 plays a crucial role in maintaining plant energy homeostasis. We are investigating (1) the different (upstream) molecular mechanisms controlling SnRK1 activity in response to metabolic status (focusing on heterotrimeric complex formation, sub-cellular localisation and allosteric regulation) and (2) the (downstream) transcriptional and post-transcriptional mechanisms involved in SnRK1-regulation of primary and secondary (flavonoid) metabolism, leaf growth and development, and stress tolerance. ▶Inquiry: Prof. Hwang, Il-Doo (279-2291) * This seminar will be given in English. please refrain from taking photos during seminars. *