Cell wall damage leads to non-canonical autophagy

Imagine a tiny, complex machine inside a cell that acts like a pump, letting essential particles flow in and out to maintain the perfect balance for the cell`s survival. This tiny pump, known as V- ATPase, is crucial for many vital processes in cells, from protein degradation to maintaining the correct acidity levels. But studying this pump in animals and humans is extremely challenging because, if it doesn`t work, the organism die. This is where the uniqueness of plants comes in! Plants have an additional family of pumps that can step in when V-ATPase is not functioning. This allows us to learn more about V-ATPase without harming the organism. My team and I have developed an innovative technique using advanced microscopy to study V- ATPase in plants, opening up new possibilities for understanding how this pump works. This research has potential far-reaching implications, from gaining a better understanding of how plants have evolved to survive in diverse environments, to new ways to protect our crops in the face of climate change. In addition to our work on V-ATPase, we are also exploring the fascinating world of autophagy in plants. Autophagy is a process where a cell recycles its own components to survive under stress conditions. There are two main types of autophagy canonical and non-canonical. Canonical autophagy involves the formation of a double-membraned vesicle called an autophagosome, which engulfs cellular components for recycling. Non-canonical autophagy, on the other hand, doesn`t involve the formation of an autophagosome. Instead, cellular components are directly going to the vacuole, where the V-ATPase is located at. Our work focuses on understanding the role of V-ATPase in non-canonical autophagy. We believe that this process plays a crucial role in plant survival, especially under stress conditions. By unraveling the intricacies of non-canonical autophagy, we hope to shed light on new ways to improve plant resilience and productivity. And our knowledge on the V-ATPase will be helpful not only for plant research, but the global scientific community. I am excited to embark on this journey to uncover the secrets of this tiny but mighty cellular pump.