Moss Allelopathic Compounds – MALCOM-X

MALCOM-X aims at elucidating allelopathic compounds from the moss Physcomitrium patens. These compounds are used by the plant to control both its interaction with neighbours and its own development. In particular, two types of compounds will be searched, based on their signalling roles in strigolactone (SL) or KAI2-Ligand (KL) pathways. Previous work suggest that several PpKAI2Like genes encode potential receptors for these compounds, and mutants in these genes will guide the study, along with a SL synthesis mutant. Metabolite analyses using UPLC of wild-type and mutant moss exudates will be used to spot these compounds. Biological assays, on moss and root parasitic plants will guide the analysis and address the specific role of these allelochemicals. These assays, along with the synthesis of novel standard molecules, will facilitate the purification of the allelopathic molecules. The discovery of allelopathic compounds of interest is expected.