Elucidating the function of the transcriptional co-repressor JAZ6 in plant immunity

The defence of plants against pathogen infection is a topical issue critical for maintaining
food security in the face of climate change. Plants have evolved complex mechanisms to
regulate gene expression, enabling transcriptional reprogramming in the face of threats like
herbivores and infectious pathogens. Plant hormones are crucial signalling components
which contribute to transcriptional reprogramming, and for stresses like herbivores and
necrotrophic pathogens the hormone jasmonic acid plays a central role. Jasmonic acid
perception occurs via the F-box protein CORONATINE INSENSITIVE 1 (COI1), which enables
the targeted degradation of JASMONATE ZIM DOMAIN (JAZ) proteins, the focus of this work.