Functional analysis of multi-gene complexes regulating photoperiod-dependent flowering time

调控光周期依赖性开花时间的多基因复合体的功能分析

• 批准号: 0920258
• 负责人: Ben Holt III
• 金额: $ 23万
• 依托单位: University of Oklahoma Norman Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-01 至 2012-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0920258&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Functional; analysis; multi; gene; complexes

PI: Ben Ford Holt III,Proposal Number: IOS-0920258Project Title: "Functional analysis of multi-gene complexes regulating photoperiod-dependent flowering time" For even the most casual observer, it is well known that plant flowering (reproduction) is coupled to the seasons. This is no accident - like all successful organisms, plants evolved with the unique problems of their native environments and have developed the ability to grow and reproduce under optimal conditions. Because agricultural productivity depends heavily on the timing of developmental events, discovering how plants use changes in their environment to determine when to begin flowering is an important question in plant biology. In temperate climates, such as the United States, many environmental variables change throughout the year. As changes in day length (or "photoperiod") are essentially identical between years, many plants use this as an accurate signal to trigger flowering at the correct time. Although scientists are beginning to unravel the underlying molecular mechanisms used by plants to determine photoperiod, there is still much to learn. This project is focused on several new genes that are necessary for the appropriate timing of flowering in response to changing photoperiod. Plants with mutant versions of these genes lose the ability to properly use day length as a cue to flower; instead, they flower several weeks or even months later than normal. Although the identity of these genes is known, it is not known how theses genes help plants flower at the right time. These same genes are involved in a second developmental transition - the shift from seed dormancy to germination. Using the combined tools of genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry, this project will address 1) how these genes are acting to turn on flowering in the plant cell, and 2) how they are functioning to simultaneously control seed germination. Because both flowering time and seed dormancy are important agricultural traits, understanding how these processes intersect is essential to enhancing future crop performance.

PI：Ben Ford Holt III，提案编号：IOS-0920258项目名称：“调节光周期依赖性开花时间的多基因复合物的功能分析”即使是最不经意的观察者，众所周知，植物开花（繁殖）与季节有关。这并非偶然——像所有成功的生物体一样，植物随着其原生环境的独特问题而进化，并发展出了在最佳条件下生长和繁殖的能力。由于农业生产力在很大程度上取决于发育事件的时间，因此发现植物如何利用环境变化来确定何时开始开花是植物生物学中的一个重要问题。在美国等温带气候地区，许多环境变量全年都会发生变化。由于年份之间日长（或“光周期”）的变化基本相同，因此许多植物将此作为准确的信号来在正确的时间触发开花。尽管科学家们开始揭开植物用来确定光周期的潜在分子机制，但仍有很多东西需要学习。该项目的重点是几个新基因，这些基因对于响应光周期变化的适当开花时间是必需的。带有这些基因突变版本的植物失去了正确利用日长作为开花提示的能力；相反，它们的开花时间比正常晚几周甚至几个月。尽管这些基因的身份已知，但尚不清楚这些基因如何帮助植物在正确的时间开花。这些相同的基因参与第二次发育转变——从种子休眠到发芽的转变。该项目将利用遗传学、分子生物学和生物化学的综合工具，解决 1) 这些基因如何发挥作用以在植物细胞中开启开花，以及 2) 它们如何发挥作用以同时控制种子发芽。由于开花时间和种子休眠都是重要的农业性状，因此了解这些过程如何交叉对于提高未来作物的性能至关重要。