E-mail:
  haruko.okamoto@plants.ox.ac.uk

Tel  +44 (0)1865 275007
Fax +44 (0)1865 275074

Last Modified: June 2010

Signal transduction, photobiology

Our main interest is to dissect the molecular basis of heterotrimeric G-protein signalling in processes modulated by light. The genome of the model plant Arabidopsis encodes just one gene of each of the G alpha and G beta subunits thus providing us with a uniquely simple system. T-DNA insertion mutants as well as plants overexpressing G alpha and G beta subunit have been analyzed for their physiological characteristics in response to a range of environmental signals. Our main focus is to understand the molecular basis of heterotrimeric G-protein signalling in Arabidopsis by employing techniques of molecular biology, cell biology and genetics. Light signalling pathways, mediated by a range of photoreceptors such as cryptochromes and phytochromes, have been identified as one of the many pathways in which heterotrimeric G-proteins function and therefore we are using light signals as a primary input to understand the G-protein signalling process.

Robson, F, Okamoto, H, Patrick, E, Sue-Re, H, Wasternack, C, Brearley, C, Turner, J.G. (2010) Jasmonate and phytochrome a signaling in arabidopsis wound and shade responses are integrated through JAZ1 stability Plant Cell. 22 (4): pp 1143-1160.
doi:10.1105/tpc.109.067728.

Harris, S.-R, Henbest, K.B, Maeda, K, Pannell, J.R, Timmel, C.R, Hore, P.J, Okamoto, H. (2009) Effect of magnetic fields on cryptochrome-dependent responses in Arabidopsis thaliana Journal of the Royal Society Interface. 6 (41): pp 1193-1205.
doi:10.1098/rsif.2008.0519.

Okamoto, H, Gobel, C, Capper, R.G, Saunders, N, Feussner, I, Knight, M.R. (2009) The α-subunit of the heterotrimeric G-protein affects jasmonate responses in Arabidopsis thaliana Journal of Experimental Botany. 60 (7): pp 1991-2003.
doi:10.1093/jxb/erp060.

Knight, H, Zarka, D.G, Okamoto, H, Thomashow, M.F, Knight, M.R. (2004) Abscisic acid induces CBF gene transcription and subsequent induction of cold-regulated genes via the CRT promoter element Plant Physiology. 135 (3): pp 1710-1717

Rentel, M.C, Lecourieux, D, Ouaked, F, Usher, S.L, Petersen, L, Okamoto, H, Knight, H, Peck, S.C, Grierson, C.S, Hirt, H, Knight, M.R. (2004) OXI1 kinase is necessary for oxidative burst-mediated signalling in Arabidopsis Nature. 427 (6977): pp 858-861

Qu, L.-J, Chen, J, Liu, M, Pan, N, Okamoto, H, Lin, Z, Li, C, Li, D, Wang, J, Zhu, G, Zhao, X, Chen, X, Gu, H, Chen, Z. (2003) Molecular Cloning and Functional Analysis of a Novel Type of Bowman-Birk Inhibitor Gene Family in Rice Plant Physiology. 133 (2): pp 560-570

Hardtke, C.S, Okamoto, H, Stoop-Myer, C, Deng, X.W. (2002) Biochemical evidence for ubiquitin ligase activity of the Arabidopsis COP1 interacting protein 8 (CIP8) Plant Journal. 30 (4): pp 385-394.
doi:10.1046/j.1365-313X.2002.01298.x.

Professor Peter J. Hore
Dr. Christiane R. Timmel
Dr. Margaret Ahmad
Professor John G. Turner
Dr. Fran Robson