Recognizing Plant Physiology first authors: Taras Pasternak

Taras Pasternak, co-first author of Salicylic acid affects root meristem patterning via auxin distribution in a concentration-dependent manner

Current Position: Post-doc Institute of Biology II/Botany, University of Freiburg

Education: PhD in genetics (Institute of Botany, National Academy of Sciences of the Ukraine); M.Sc.- in biophysics, Kharkiv State University

Non-scientific interests: Classical music and travel

Brief Bio: My recent research has been focused on the investigation of the mechanism of root development and its interaction with environmental stress. We have recently developed the internal root coordinate system (iRoCS) that allows us to investigate precise root zonation based on the kinetics of cell cycle progression (mitosis and DNA replication). The influence of internal hormones level, as well as treatment with external hormones on the kinetics of the cell cycle and the zonation of the root has been investigated. In this paper we described the specific effect of salicylic acid on the development of Arabidopsis roots.  We have found that external salicylic acid has significant effect on root architecture at 3-30 µM applications and this effect is mediated by the alteration in the distribution of the plant hormone auxin. The other stress factors have been also regulated root architecture through alteration in auxin signalling.