Light Quality and Quantity Inputs Into Phytochrome-Dependent Regulation of Anterograde Signaling, Photosynthesis and Growth During Photomorphogenesis

光是触发生物体内基因表达的重要刺激因素。光依赖基因的表达需要在植物的不同部位进行协调，以实现高效的光收集和植物的发育。在这个项目中，研究人员将研究植物中感知光的蛋白质(光感受器)如何控制单个植物细胞不同部分发生的一些依赖光的生长和发育反应。研究人员将使用生物信息学、遗传学和分子方法来研究光触发基因表达控制的不同机制。除了培训本科生、研究生和博士后科学家外，这项研究的更广泛影响还包括有助于理解植物如何利用光依赖的光感受器来调整叶绿体功能以适应外部环境的变化。这样的理解是允许有针对性地调节植物光合作用效率和调节生产力的先决条件。该项目还包括对来自科学界代表性不足群体的本科生进行实践研究的结构化指导。植物光感受器对从细胞核到叶绿体的不同顺行信号网络提供定量和定性的控制，以调节叶绿体蛋白质-色素含量和叶绿体对外部环境的功能的理论将得到验证。结合生物信息学分析和网络建模，将探索光敏色素影响核编码的sigma因子表达以匹配核和叶绿体基因组表达的具体机制，以建立和测试负责光敏色素调节叶绿体发育、光合作用和光形态建成的信号网络。此外，西格玛因子依赖的效应物将通过转录和基因发现方法鉴定，并通过植物表型鉴定。除了对学生和博士后学者的基本培训外，这项研究的更广泛影响包括调查光敏色素调节的定量过程，以便有针对性地调节光敏色素介导的植物反应。这项研究的一个培训部分旨在培养本科理科专业学生和来自代表性不足群体的学生，包括妇女和代表性不足的参与者，通过参与实践研究进行分析性和批判性思考的能力。该项目将包括作为密歇根州立大学植物基因组学本科生夏季研究体验的主办实验室参与，这是一个为来自代表不足的群体和小型和/或研究受限机构的本科生进行访问的项目。

Light is an important stimulus that triggers gene expression in biological organisms. The light dependent gene expression needs to be coordinated in different parts of the plant for efficient light harvesting and plant development. In this project, investigators will investigate how the proteins that perceive light (photoreceptors) in plants control a number of light dependent growth and development responses that occur in different parts of individual plant cells. The investigators will use bioinformatic, genetic and molecular approaches to examine different mechanisms of light triggered control of gene expression. In addition to training undergraduates, graduate students and postdoctoral scientists, broader impacts of the research include contributing to the understanding of how plants use light-dependent photoreceptors to tune chloroplast function to changes in the external environment. Such understanding is a prerequisite to allowing targeted regulation of plant photosynthetic efficiency and tuning of productivity. The project also includes structured mentoring in hands-on research of undergraduates from groups underrepresented in the sciences. The theory that plant photoreceptors provide quantitative and qualitative control over distinct anterograde signaling networks from the nucleus to plastid to tune plastid protein-pigment content and plastid function to the external environment will be tested. The specific mechanisms by which phytochromes influence expression of nuclear-encoded sigma factors to match expression of nuclear and plastid genomes will be explored using bioinformatic analyses together with network modeling to build and test a signaling network responsible for phytochrome regulation of chloroplast development, tuning of photosynthesis and photomorphogenesis. Additionally, sigma factor-dependent effectors will be identified through transcriptomic and gene discovery approaches and characterized through plant phenotyping. In addition to the essential training of students and postdoctoral scholars, broader impacts of the research include investigating quantitative phytochrome-regulated processes to allow targeted regulation of phytochrome-mediated plant responses. A training component of the research is designed to develop the ability of undergraduate science majors and students from underrepresented groups, including women and underrepresented participants, to think analytically and critically through the participation in hands-on research. The project will include participation as a host lab for the Michigan State University Plant Genomics Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates, a program for visiting undergraduates from underrepresented groups and small and/or research-limited institutions.