PhD position: Regulation and functions of alternative splicing in plants (m/f/d)

12 Mar 2024
Job Information

Organisation/Company

International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz

Department

Institute of Molecular Biology

Research Field

Biological sciences

Researcher Profile

First Stage Researcher (R1)

Country

Germany

Application Deadline

17 Apr 2024 - 12:00 (Europe/Berlin)

Type of Contract

Temporary

Job Status

Full-time

Is the job funded through the EU Research Framework Programme?

Not funded by an EU programme

Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure?

No

Offer Description

Thinking of doing your PhD in the Life Sciences? The International PhD Programme (IPP) Mainz is offering talented, young scientists the chance to work on cutting edge research projects within the open call on “Molecular Mechanisms in Genome Stability & Gene Regulation”. As an IPP PhD student, you will join a community of exceptional scientists working on diverse topics ranging from how organisms age or how our DNA is repaired, to how epigenetics regulates cellular identity or neural memory.

 

Activities and responsibilities

The research group of Andreas Wachter offers the following PhD project:

Alternative splicing (AS) massively increases transcriptome complexity in higher eukaryotes, with critical implications in developmental processes and stress responses. Studying AS events in model systems revealed the existence of diverse regulatory principles, however, the mechanisms by which rapid and coordinated changes in the AS output can be achieved are still poorly understood. The Wachter group and others have previously shown that early seedling photomorphogenesis is accompanied and driven by AS changes. Furthermore, several splicing regulatory proteins involved in light-dependent AS and seedling development have been identified. In our ongoing research, we examine the molecular mechanisms and signaling pathways underlying rapid re-programming of the transcriptome via AS to steer seedling development in a light-dependent manner.

PhD project: Light-dependent localization and interactions of RS splicing regulators in plant development

Illumination of etiolated seedlings triggers an extensive developmental re-programming from skoto- to photomorphogenesis, involving massive changes on the level of gene expression, metabolism, and growth. In our previous studies, we have identified light-triggered AS in etiolated Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings as a critical component of photomorphogenesis (Hartmann et al., 2016). Moreover, we have demonstrated an important role of the central energy sensor kinases SnRK1 and TOR in the upstream signaling (Saile et al., 2023). Transducing light signals into an AS response involves RS splicing regulators, which are differentially phosphorylated upon illumination of dark-grown seedlings. Altered photomorphogenesis of A. thaliana mutants with elevated or diminished RS protein levels corroborated their functional relevance in this process. Interestingly, RS proteins mainly localize in the nucleoplasm of etiolated seedlings, while light exposure can trigger their altered sub-nuclear distribution in speckles. Studying the underlying mechanisms and functional consequences of these sub-cellular localization patterns are the key goals of this PhD project. In the first experimental strategy, reporter lines for determining the dynamic localization patterns of RS proteins in a light- and tissue-specific manner will be established and analyzed. These experiments will also address the underlying mechanisms, such as the impact of RS phosphorylation and other protein features, which are studied in vitro by our group as part of the SFB 1551 on biomolecular condensates. The second line of research will identify in vivo interactors of RS proteins. Here, interacting proteins will be captured mainly using proximity labelling, while RNA targets can be searched for using TRIBE, an editing-based detection system recently optimized in our group (Loeser et al., accepted).

If you are interested in this project, please select Wachter (Wach) as your group preference in the IPP application platform.

 

Qualification profile:

Are you an ambitious, young scientist looking to push the boundaries of research while interacting with colleagues from multiple disciplines and cultures? Then joining the IPP is your opportunity to give your scientific career a flying start!

All you need is:

• Master or equivalent
• Interactive personality & good command of English
• 2 letters of reference

We offer

• Exciting, interdisciplinary projects in a lively international environment, with English as our working language
• Advanced training in scientific techniques and professional skills
• Access to our state-of-the-art Core Facilities and their technical expertise
• Fully funded positions with financing until the completion of your thesis
• A lively community ofmore than 200 PhD students from 44 different countries

For more details on the projects offered and how to apply via our online form, please visit www.imb.de/phd .

The deadline for applications is 17 April 2024. Interviews will take place at IMB in Mainz on 1-3 July 2024.

Starting date: 1 August 2024 – 1 January 2025

Requirements

Research Field

Biological sciences

Education Level

Master Degree or equivalent

Languages

CATALAN

Level

Good

Research Field

Biological sciences

Additional Information
Work Location(s)

Number of offers available

1

Company/Institute

International PhD Programme (IPP)

Country

Germany

Geofield

Where to apply

Website

https://www.imb.de/phd

Contact

City

Mainz

Website

http://www.imb-mainz.de/PhD

Street

Ackermannweg 4

Postal Code

55128

STATUS: EXPIRED