Mechanism of UVB-induced DNA methylation suppression and inheritance in plants

当务之急是发展能够在多变的气候条件下存活并保持高产的作物。该项目的目标是了解植物如何感知不断变化的环境，并重新编程它们的染色质景观，以实现适应性和稳健性，特别关注暴露在高水平的紫外线辐射下。重点放在表观遗传修饰上，这是一种位于基因组上的化学信息，它可以打开或关闭基因，并在植物对不同环境胁迫的反应中发挥新的作用。这项研究最终能够为生物质生产和农业改良开发基于染色质的创新技术。此外，该项目将产生广泛的教育影响，为来自不同背景的学生和科学家提供多学科研究培训机会，包括来自妇女和少数民族等代表性不足群体的学生和科学家。另一个影响将是开发向公众传播表观遗传学研究的学习模块，包括为K-12学生设立的桌面科学站，以及为威斯康星州农村高中学生和科学教师举办的科学夏令营。胞嘧啶DNA甲基化作为一种分子翻译器出现在感知和翻译细胞外信号以指导不同的细胞和生理功能。尽管有许多研究描述了DNA甲基体对环境压力的反应，但关于在压力过程中如何产生、维持和移除不同的DNA甲基化模式，人们知之甚少。这个项目将利用拟南芥作为一个强大的模型，通过重新编程DNA甲基化景观来加强对植物如何对紫外线B(UVB)辐射做出反应的理解。具体地说，这个项目将研究UVB和它的光感受器如何相互作用来改变位点和组织特异性的DNA甲基化，以及UVB诱导的应激启动和表观遗传记忆。来自该项目的发现将提供关于信号级联如何与染色质动力学交织在一起以指导细胞和有机体功能的机械性见解。鉴于DNA甲基化和信号级联在不同的生物过程中的重要性，了解染色质如何感知和传递环境刺激是一个与植物和动物都相关的基本问题。该奖项由分子和细胞生物科学部门的遗传机制组和综合组织系统部门的植物基因组研究计划共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

It is urgent to develop crops that survive and maintain high yields under dynamic climate conditions. The goal of this project is to understand how plants sense the ever-changing environment and reprogram their chromatin landscapes to achieve adaptability and robustness, with a specific focus on exposure to high levels of ultraviolet radiation. The focus is on epigenetic modifications, the chemical information layered onto the genome that switches genes ‘on’ or ‘off’ and which has emerging roles in plant responses to diverse environmental stresses. This study could ultimately enable the development of innovative chromatin-based technology for biomass production and agricultural improvement. In addition, this project will have a broad educational impact by providing multi-disciplinary research training opportunities for students and scientists from diverse backgrounds including those from underrepresented groups such as women and minorities. Another impact will be the development of learning modules to disseminate epigenetic research to the public, including tabletop science stations for K-12 students and a summer science-camp for rural Wisconsin high school students and science teachers. Cytosine DNA methylation is emerging as a molecular interpreter in sensing and translating extracellular signals to guide diverse cellular and physiological functions. Despite the numerous studies describing altered DNA methylomes in response to environmental stress, little is known about how distinct DNA methylation patterns are generated, maintained, and removed over time during stress. This project will enhance understanding of how plants respond to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation by reprogramming the DNA methylation landscape, using Arabidopsis thaliana as a powerful model. Specifically, this project will investigate how UVB and its photoreceptor interact to alter locus- and tissue-specific DNA methylation and also UVB-induced stress priming and epigenetic memory. Findings from this project will provide mechanistic insights into how signaling cascades intertwine with chromatin dynamics to guide cellular and organismal functions. Given the importance of DNA methylation and signaling cascades in diverse biological processes, understanding how chromatin senses and transduces environmental stimuli is a fundamental question relevant to both plants and animals. This award was co-funded by the Genetic Mechanisms Cluster in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences and the Plant Genome Research Program in the Division of Integrative Organismal Systems.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.