Kim Johnson group

Our group has a strong track record of studying cell walls, dynamic structures that surround all plant cells, provide stability and shape and act as the interface between neighbouring cells and the environment. The structural integrity of the cell wall is essential for plant survival and as such plants have cell wall integrity sensors to monitor wall status. Detection of physical (also known as mechanical) ‘stress’ signals is important to adapt growth in response to the external and internal environment. Our group have identified several classes of cell wall integrity sensors involved in recognition of wall changes during development and in response to stress. These include Ca+ binding wall glycoproteins (AGPs) and wall-associated kinases (WAKs) and a Ca+ mechanosensing channel Defective Kernel 1 (DEK1). By investigating the molecular pathways involved in cell wall integrity responses we aim to use this knowledge to breed plants with improved growth and resilience to changing environments

Plant-based proteins have potential to innovate locally produced and processed food products - on and off Earth. Together with Plants for Space and the crop agronomy and legumes groups, our work aims to optimize the nutritional profile of high protein plant-based foods and increase efficiency of growth for indoor and outdoor environments.