What it takes to make a dimer Unlocking assembly dynamics of Cysteine-rich Receptor-like Kinase 18 complexes

Samenvatting (Engelstalig)

Plants constantly need to sense and respond to their environment. This process includes a group of proteins called Receptor Kinases at the cell surface, which send signals from outside into the cell. There are many different types of Receptor Kinases including the lesser-known Cysteine-rich Receptor-like Kinases, the focus of this thesis. This work examines how CRKs, specifically CRK18, are structured, how they interact with each other, and the role of its cysteines. While cysteines are proposed to contribute to CRKs function, their importance appears to vary between individual cysteines. CRK18 was found to interact with itself and other receptor kinases involved in plant immunity, suggesting a broader role in stress responses. Overall, this research provides new insights into how CRKs may function and lays the groundwork for future studies on plant signaling.