Molecular Genetic Analysis of det loci of Arabiodopsis thaliana

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The overall objective of this project is to elucidate the pathway of sensory perception associated with chloroplast development in plants. The process of greening, or differentiation of the chloroplast, involves the coordinate regulation of many nuclear and chloroplast genes. The cues for the initiation of this developmental program are both extrinsic (light) and intrinsic (cell-type and plastid signals). Several regulatory photoreceptor are involved in the perception of light signals, but nothing is known of the transduction elements that mediate either the external or intracellular signals. The proposed research program focusses on a novel class of Arabidopsis thaliana mutants previously isolated by the principal investigator. The mutant plants develop light-grown characteristics even when grown in darkness, including, leaf development and anthocyanin accumulation and are therefore designated det, for de-etionlated. There are at least 2 det complimentation groups. The specific strategic approach will be to characterize genetically, biochemically, and physiologically the previously identified det mutant, as well identify new det mutant classes. Double mutants will be made to begin analysis of gene interaction, which will eventually lead to construction of the path(s) which lead to greening. The characterization of these mutants has already suggested that the response to light may be a repression rather than an induction phenomenon. Further work promises to elucidate the greening pathways in plants, pathway which must be understood for practical as well as basic reason.