Staff Directory
Karolina Pajerowska-Mukhtar
Biological Sciences
Dept Chair/Head
Professor of Biological Sciences
Jordan Hall 221 [Research Laboratory Service]
Long Hall 132C [Office]
Educational Background
BS/MS, Biology (Environmental Protection and Laboratory Diagnostics), University of Szczecin, Poland, 2001
PhD, Genetics, Max-Planck Institute for Plant Breeding Research, 2005
Postdoctoral, Plant Immunity, Duke University, 2006-2010
Profile/About Me
Dr. Mukhtar joined Clemson as the new Department Chair in July 2024.
Research Interests
Dr. Karolina Mukhtar is a molecular plant biologist with over twenty years of experience in plant genetics and stress biology, using genetic and biochemical approaches. Her research focuses on the molecular mechanisms of cellular stress responses, particularly the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR) and translational regulation mediated by upstream Open Reading Frames (uORFs) in Arabidopsis thaliana. UPR, an evolutionarily conserved response in all eukaryotes, is triggered by the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) due to biotic or abiotic stresses. Initially, UPR works to restore ER homeostasis, but prolonged stress can lead to programmed cell death.
For the past 17+ years, Dr. Mukhtar's lab has been a pioneer in investigating plant UPR, especially in response to heat, drought, and microbial stress. This research has revealed that UPR plays a crucial role in plant immune responses, which involve significant transcriptional reprogramming to prioritize defense over growth. Despite extensive genetic screens and genome-wide expression studies, only a few transcription factors involved in this transition have been identified.
Dr. Mukhtar's work identified a heat-shock factor-like transcription factor, TBF1, that specifically binds to the TL1 cis-element (GAAGAAGAA) required for the induction of antimicrobial genes. Genome-wide profiling reveals that TBF1 is critical for the growth-to-defense transition, and its expression is tightly regulated at both the transcriptional and translational levels. The presence of uORFs encoding aromatic amino acids influences TBF1 translation, linking pathogen invasion to metabolic changes and specific transcriptional reprogramming (U.S. Patent US10017773B2).
Dr. Mukhtar's lab has also uncovered key differences between animal and plant UPR responses, establishing plant UPR as a unique adaptive process. This work, supported by the NSF since 2014, earned Dr. Mukhtar the 2019 PECASE award.
More recently, her research has expanded into the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to predict novel stress and immune functions of previously unknown proteins. This work has led to a 2021 NSF award, where Dr. Mukhtar is a Co-Principal Investigator with Dr. Shahid Mukhtar.
Together, these research efforts in plant stress biology have significant implications for addressing global challenges such as climate change, ecological imbalances, and food security.
Selected Publications
Majeed A, Liu J, Knight AJ, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM and Mukhtar SM (2024). Bacterial Communities Associated with the Leaves and the Roots of Salt Marsh Plants of Bayfront Beach, Mobile, Alabama, USA. Microorganisms, 12(8), 1595; https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms12081595
Akhtar N, Ilyas N, Bostan N, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM, Khan I (2024). Holobiomes: Structure and Functions. In: Sayyed, R.Z., Ilyas, N. (eds) Plant Holobiome Engineering for Climate-Smart Agriculture. Sustainable Plant Nutrition in a Changing World. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-9388-8_1
Mohan B, Thingujam D, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM, Mukhtar SM (2024). EccDNA in plant-stress and biotechnological solutions in agriculture. Trends in Biotechnology, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tibtech.2024.05.008
Thingujam D, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM, Mukhtar SM (2024) Duckweed: beyond an efficient plant model system. Biomolecules, 14(6):628, https://doi.org/10.3390/biom14060628
Adhikari B, Gayral M, Herath V, Bedsole O, Kumar S, Ball H, Atallah O, Shaw B, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM, Verchot J (2024) bZIP60 and Bax inhibitor 1 contribute IRE1-dependent and independent roles involved in PlAMV infection. New Phytologist, https://doi.org/10.1111/nph.19882
Bedgood RM, Almehmi SE, Chandran KB, Wyss JM, Mukhtar MS, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2024). PlantGIFT: An effective teacher workshop model for translating experimental STEM research into hands-on classroom activities for middle and high school students. Journal of College Science Teaching. https://doi.org/10.1080/0047231X.2024.2412671
Fakhar AZ, Liu J, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM and Mukhtar MS (2023) The ORFans’ Tale: New Insights in Plant Biology. Trends in Plant Science, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2023.06.011.
Fakhar AZ, Liu J, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM, Mukhtar MS (2023) The Lost and Found: Unraveling the Functions of Orphan Genes. Journal of Developmental Biology, 11(2):27, https://doi.org/10.3390/jdb11020027.
Fakhar AZ, Liu J, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2023) Dynamic Enrichment for Evaluation of Protein Networks (DEEPN): A High Throughput Yeast Two-Hybrid (Y2H) Protocol to Evaluate Networks (book chapter). Protein-Protein Interactions: Methods and Protocols, Springer Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2690, pp. 179-192
Diwan D, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2023) Preparation and Utilization of a Versatile GFP-Protein Trap-Like System for Protein Complex Immunoprecipitation in Plants (book chapter). Protein-Protein Interactions: Methods and Protocols, Springer Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2690, pp. 59-68
Mohan B, Thingujam D, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2023) Cytotrap: An Innovative Approach for Protein–Protein Interaction Studies for Cytoplasmic Proteins (book chapter). Protein-Protein Interactions: Methods and Protocols, Springer Methods in Molecular Biology, vol. 2690, pp. 9-22
Kumar N, Mishra B, Liu J, Mohan B, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM, Mukhtar SM (2023) Network Biology Analyses and Dynamic Modeling of Gene Regulatory Networks Under Drought Stress Reveal Major Transcriptional Regulators in Arabidopsis. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24087349.
Stewart JA, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM, Bulger A, Kambiranda D, Nyochembeng L and Mentreddy SR (2023) A Review: Muscadine, Resveratrol (RSV) and the Stilbene Synthase (STS) Genes that Control their Stress Responses. ACS Food Science & Technology, 3(1):3–14, https://doi.org/10.1021/acsfoodscitech.2c00176
Hussain A, Liu J, Mohan B, Burhan A, Nasim Z, Bano R, Ameen A, Zaynab M, Mukhtar MS and Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2022) A genome-wide comparative evolutionary analysis of zinc finger-BED transcription factor genes in land plants. Scientific Reports, 12:12328, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-16602-8.
Ilyas N, Akhtar N, Naseem A, Qureshi R, Majeed A, Al-Ansari MM, Al-Humaid L, Sayyed RZ, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2022) The Potential of Bacillus subtilis and Phosphorus in Improving the Growth of Wheat under Chromium Stress. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 133:3307–3321, https://doi.org/10.1111/jam.15676.
Liu J, Fakhar AZ, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM and Mukhtar MS (2022) A TIReless battle: TIR domains in plant-pathogen interactions. Trends in Plant Science, 27(5):426-429, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tplants.2022.01.011.
Afrin T, Costello CN, Monella AN, Kørner CJ and Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2022) The interplay of GTP-binding protein AGB1 with ER stress sensors IRE1a and IRE1b modulates Arabidopsis unfolded protein response and bacterial immunity. Plant Signaling and Behavior, 17:1, 2018857, https://doi.org/10.1080/15592324.2021.2018857.
Mishra B, Kumar N, Liu J, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2021) Dynamic regulatory event mining by iDREM in large scale multi-omics datasets during biotic and abiotic stress in plants (book chapter). Modeling Transcriptional Regulation: Methods and Protocols, Springer Methods in Molecular Biology, 2328:191-202, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-1534-8_12
Diwan D, Liu X, Andrews CF and Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2021) A Quantitative Arabidopsis IRE1a Ribonuclease-dependent in vitro mRNA Cleavage Assay for Functional Studies of Substrate Splicing and Decay Activities. Frontiers in Plant Science – Plant Cell Biology, 12:1510. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2021.707378
Davis JE, Kolozsvary MB, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM, Zhang B (2021) Towards a universal theoretical framework to understand robustness and resilience: from cells to systems. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution – Models in Ecology and Evolution, 8:495. https://doi.org/10.3389/fevo.2020.579098
Verchot J and Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2021) Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Signaling at the Nexus of Plant Viral, Bacterial, and Fungal Defenses. Curr Opinion in Virology, 47:9-17. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coviro.2020.11.001
Afrin T, Seok M, Terry B, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2020) Probing natural variation of IRE1 expression and endoplasmic reticulum stress responses in Arabidopsis accessions. Scientific Reports, 10:19154 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-76114-1
Parry G, Provart JN, Brady SM, Uzilday B, The Multinational Arabidopsis Steering Committee (2020) Current status of the multinational Arabidopsis community. Plant Direct 00:1–9. https://doi.org/10.1002/pld3.248
Afrin T, Diwan D, Sahawneh K, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2020) Multilevel Regulation of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Responses in Plants: Where Old Roads and New Paths Meet. Journal of Experimental Botany, 71(5):1659-1667. https://10.1093/jxb/erz487
Liu X, Afrin T, Pajerowska-Mukhtar KM (2019) Arabidopsis GCN2 kinase contributes to ABA homeostasis and stomatal immunity. Communications Biology 2:302 https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-019-0544-x
Honors and Awards
2022 UAB Graduate Dean's Award for Excellence in Mentorship
2021-2022 UAB Blaze Leadership Academy
2019 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)
2019 UAB President's Award for Excellence in Teaching
2019 UAB CAS Dean's Award for Excellence in Teaching
2019 Academic Mace Carrier, UAB Fall Graduate Commencement
2018 American Society of Plant Biologists Faculty Travel Award
2015 UAB Disability Support Services Outstanding Faculty Award
2015 UAB Red Mountain Sustainability Award
2014 NSF-CAREER Award
2013 UAB Fellowship in Service Learning / Engaged Scholarship
2012 The North American Arabidopsis Steering Committee Early Career Scientist Award
2012 American Society of Plant Biologists Women Young Investigator Award
2011 UAB Faculty Development Grant Award
2006-2007 The Hargitt Postdoctoral Fellowship, Duke University
2006 Nomination for the Otto-Hahn-Medaille (Max Planck Society, Germany)
2002-2005 International Max-Planck Research School (IMPRS) Ph.D. fellowship
2002 The Nencki Foundation of Molecular and Cell Biology UNESCO/Polish Academy of Sciences scholarship
