PhD defence
Remember or Die: action of thermomemory when proteostasis meets phase separation
- P. Chopra
- Date
- Thursday 21 May 2026
- Time
- Location
-
Academy Building
Rapenburg 73
2311 GJ Leiden
Supervisor(s)
Summary
Climate change is increasingly threatening agriculture, as rising temperatures lead to major losses in crop productivity. Plants, however, have a remarkable ability to “remember” previous heat stress. This process, known as thermomemory, helps them better survive future heat waves. Understanding how this memory works is essential for developing crops that can withstand a warming climate.
This PhD research uncovers how plants store, maintain, and reset thermomemory at the molecular level. The results show that thermomemory is not controlled by a single pathway but arises from a dynamic balance between protective and degradative processes across different parts of the cell.
A key discovery is the role of a protein called HSP70, which forms small, dynamic compartments inside plant cells after heat stress. These structures likely act as “memory hubs,” stabilizing important stress-related proteins and helping maintain the memory of past heat exposure. This introduces a new concept in plant biology, where protein assemblies can store cellular memory.
At the same time, the research identifies mechanisms that actively reset this memory. The protein FtsH6 degrades heat-protective proteins, while the transcription factor ATAF1 regulates cellular recycling (autophagy), removing excess or damaged components.
Together, these systems form a coordinated network that balances memory preservation and resetting. Importantly, these findings are also relevant for crops such as tomato, offering new strategies to improve heat resilience and support food security in a changing climate.
PhD dissertations
Approximately one week after the defence, PhD dissertations by Leiden PhD students are available digitally through the Leiden Repository, that offers free access to these PhD dissertations. Please note that in some cases a dissertation may be under embargo temporarily and access to its full-text version will only be granted later.
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