During this grant period substantial progress was made in the characterization of the TIR1 gene in Arabidopsis. Studies showed that the TIR1 protein is part of a protein complex that includes AtCUL1, ASK1 and RBX1. This complex, called SCF-TIR1, functions in the ubiquitin-mediated protein degradation pathway. Our work is the first report of an SCF complex in a plant system. The results of our studies are described in more detail in the report together with a publication resulting from this study.