Abstract: - C-TERMINALLY ENCODED PEPTIDES (CEPs) interact with the CEPR1 receptor to control nitrate uptake and primary root growth, however the role of CEP-CEPR1 signalling in controlling overall root system architecture is unknown. To address this, I developed a rhizobox system for viewing root architecture in soil, and observed that Arabidopsis cepr1 mutants had a compact root system due to a reduction in lateral root gravitropic set-point angle (GSA). These changes in GSA are through an intersection of CEP-CEPR1 signalling with auxin and cytokinin signalling pathways.

Biography - Kelly Chapman is a PhD candidate in the Djordjevic lab at the ANU, where she also completed her Bachelor of Science (Honours). Her work is focused on understanding the mechanisms controlling root architecture in Arabidopsis, and developing new methods for viewing and measuring root systems.