Cell signaling in Chlamydomonas

The main goal of our research is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying cellular adaptation to changing conditions and stress. To this aim, we use the model photosynthetic organisms Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Arabidopsis thaliana. Our group has been pioneer in the study of the TOR signaling pathway, a master regulator of cell growth, and autophagy, a degradative process by which cells maintain cellular homeostasis and cope with limiting conditions and stress that is negatively controlled by TOR. Nowadays, our group continues with these two main research lines, focusing on the nutrient regulation of the TOR pathway and the functional analysis of redox regulation of autophagy. Recently, we have initiated two emerging lines about the study of stress granules formation and its interconnection with the TOR pathway, and the role of TOR in chloroplast biogenesis.