EAGER: Hormetic Responses and their Regulation in Arabidopsis

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Low doses of toxic chemicals have often been shown to enhance the biological performance of organisms. This phenomenon, which has been termed hormesis, seems to be based on compensatory processes following an initial disruption of cellular functions. Hormesis may thereby enable organisms to adjust to sudden environmental changes. Although hormetic phenomena have been described for a wide variety of organisms and stimuli, only few studies have addressed details of the biological basis of hormesis and it is unclear, if distinct forms of hormesis are mediated by common genetic processes. Biological mechanisms underlying hormesis in plants are completely unknown and have never been systematically analyzed. This project utilizes Arabidopsis, the most advanced experimental plant system, to initiate detailed studies on the genetics of plant hormesis. The main goal of this initial project phase will be to establish unequivocal evidence for hormesis in Arabidopsis and to provide preliminary insights on the types of biological processes that mediate these hormetic responses. Following the identification of disparate agents potently inducing hormesis in Arabidopsis, mutants of this species with defects in genes involved the control of hormesis will be identified and characterized. This will allow researchers to uncover genes critical for plant hormesis and will reveal if distinct types of hormesis are controlled by common or distinct processes. These results will provide a foundation for future expanded studies on plant hormesis and its relevance for hormesis in other types of organisms. This project is likely to impact medical research and will serve as a basis for future approaches utilizing hormesis for enhanced crop production. The project will provide training to graduate students as well as undergraduate students, mainly from minority groups that are underrepresented in the sciences. This study will be linked to classes on plant biochemistry and genetics taught for undergraduate and graduate students.