Dr. Assaf Mosquna
Research Interest
Research in the Mosquna lab is focused on plants response to environmental stress; we are interested in the apex of abscisic acid (ABA) signal transduction pathway and related cellular/physiological stress response. In addition we are kin to discover novel plant hormones and growth regulators, by an unbiased approach monitoring plant small molecule-protein interactions. Study of this regulatory scaffold is expected to be of long-term benefit to biotechnology and lead to innovations in agriculture.
Research Projects
We are using a variety of biochemical and molecular biology approaches to genetically dissect the ABA pathway, and to isolate protein-metabolite complexes. In general, our work flow starts with the establishment of hypotheses using in-vitro and microorganism systems and move on to application in model plants such as Arabidopsis, tomato and tobacco, always bearing in mind how the data we generate can contribute to modern agriculture and how to implement it to crop plants.
Open Positions
Open Positions
Opportunities for highly motivated and creative M.Sc. and Ph.D. students that are interested in understanding the biochemistry and physiology of plant stress response.
The lab is focused in the apex of abscisic acid (ABA) signal transduction pathway and related physiological/cellular stress response.
We use state-of-the-art biochemical and molecular biology approaches to genetically dissect the ABA pathway as well as analytical chemistry strategies to discover novel plant hormones and growth regulators.
Don’t hesitate to apply! Motivation will always outrun experience.
Ph.D. projects:
- open to new ideas!
- Genetic dissection of the ABA stress signaling pathway using model and crop plants.
- Systematic discovery of novel plant hormones and growth regulators using biochemistry and analytical chemistry approaches.
M.Sc. projects:
- Biochemical analysis of the constitutive activated PYR/PYL ABA receptors from a variety of crop plants.
- Physiological, Genetic, molecular and biochemical analysis of a newly identified protein ligand
Selected Publications
- Katz A., Oliva M, Mosquna A, Hakim O, and Ohad N. 2004. FIE and CURLY LEAF Polycomb Proteins Interact in the Regulation of Homeobox Gene Expression During Sporophyte Development. The Plant Journal. 37(5): 707-719.
- Mosquna A, Katz A, Shochat S, Grafi G, Ohad N. Interaction of FIE, a polycomb protein, with pRb: a possible mechanism regulating endosperm development. Mol Genet Genomics. 2004 Jul;271(6):651-7
- Zemach A, Li Y, Ben-Meir H, Oliva M, Mosquna A, Kiss V, Avivi Y, Ohad N, Grafi G. D ifferent domains control the localization and mobility of LIKE HETEROCHROMATIN PROTEIN1 in Arabidopsis Nuclei. Plant Cell. 2006 Jan;18(1):133-45.
- Jullien PE, Mosquna A, Ingouff M, Sakata T, Ohad N, Berger F. Retinoblastoma and its binding partner MSI1 control imprintng in Arabidopsis. PLoS Biol. 2008. Vol. 8(6), (pp. 1693-1705)
- Mosquna A, Katz A, Decker E, Rensing S, Reski R and Ohad N. Regulation of stem cell maintenance by the Polycomb protein FIE has been conserved during land plant evolution. Development. 2009 Jul;136(14):2433-44
- Mosquna A, Peterson F, Park S-Y, Volkman F and Cutler SR. Potent and selective activation of abscisic acid receptors in vivo by mutational stabilization of their agonist-bound conformation. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2011 Dec 20; 108(51):20838-43.
- Noy-Malka C, Yaari R, Itzhaki R, Mosquna A, Auerbach Gershovitz N, Katz A, Ohad N A single CMT methyltransferase homolog is involved in CHG DNA methylation and development of Physcomitrella patens. Plant Mol Biol. 2013 Dec 27
- Park SY*, Peterson FC*, Mosquna A*, Yao J, Volkman BF, Cutler SR. Agrochemical control of plant water use using engineered abscisic acid receptors. Nature. 2015 Feb 4. *These authors contributed equally to this work