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

开发在动态气候条件下存活并保持高产的作物已成为当务之急。该项目的目标是了解植物如何感知不断变化的环境，并重新编程其染色质景观，以实现适应性和稳健性，特别关注暴露于高水平的紫外线辐射。研究的重点是表观遗传修饰，这是一种覆盖在基因组上的化学信息，它可以开关基因的“开启”或“关闭”，并在植物对各种环境胁迫的反应中发挥着新的作用。这项研究可能最终使基于染色质的生物质生产和农业改良创新技术的发展成为可能。此外，该项目将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，从而产生广泛的教育影响。另一个影响将是向公众传播表观遗传学研究的学习模块的发展，包括面向K-12学生的桌面科学站，以及面向威斯康星州农村高中生和科学教师的暑期科学营。胞嘧啶DNA甲基化作为一种分子解释器在感知和翻译细胞外信号以指导各种细胞和生理功能方面正在兴起。尽管有许多研究描述了环境压力下DNA甲基化组的改变，但人们对压力下不同的DNA甲基化模式是如何产生、维持和去除的知之甚少。该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，加强对植物如何响应紫外线B （UVB）辐射的理解。具体而言，该项目将研究UVB及其光感受器如何相互作用以改变位点和组织特异性DNA甲基化，以及UVB诱导的应激启动和表观遗传记忆。该项目的发现将为信号级联如何与染色质动力学相互交织以指导细胞和组织功能提供机制见解。鉴于DNA甲基化和信号级联在多种生物过程中的重要性，了解染色质如何感知和转导环境刺激是与植物和动物相关的一个基本问题。该奖项由分子和细胞生物科学部的遗传机制集群和综合有机系统部的植物基因组研究计划共同资助。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值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.