Transcriptional Rewiring: Editing Plant Stess Response Networks

Plant defence responses are modulated by substantial transcriptional reprogramming, up to 40% of the genome can be differentially expressed following pathogen challenge. This group of differentially expressed genes includes hundreds of transcription factors suggesting a complex transcriptional network regulates plant stress response. We have previously shown that transcriptional rewiring can be used to generate novel phenotypic diversity that can help adapt yeast to stresses associated with heterologous expression constructs. Transcriptional rewiring involves the fusion of transcription factor coding sequences with non-natural promoter sequences which in turn can have pleotropic cascade effects on downstream target cell pathways. Here I will show how we are using a combination of Synthetic and Systems Biology, inspired by our studies in yeast, to select plant regulators for targeted rewiring approaches that seek to enhance plant tolerance to pathogens.