True to their name’s Greek roots, plant hormones “set in motion” a myriad of physiological processes. Influencing and modulating each other, an intricate network of interactions arises. The Benková group seeks to untangle this network and understand its molecular basis.
Post-embryonic formation of new organs, a major determinant of the plant body architecture, is responsive to a myriad of environmental inputs such as light, temperature, and nutrition. Plant hormones allow plants to rapidly adjust their development to these external cues. Physiological and genetic studies have investigated the signaling components of the individual hormonal pathways. However, over the last years it became clear that hormones are interconnected by a complex network of interactions. How these hormonal networks are established, maintained, and modulated to control specific developmental outputs is the focus of the Benková group. Recently, the group has located several convergence points that integrate different hormonal inputs. Importantly, some of these identified components exceed their function in the hormonal crosstalk and they provide functional links with pathways mediating perception of environmental stimuli.