Perinuclear Positioning of Active Genes in Arabidopsis

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The cell nucleus provides a subcellular compartment to harbor the genetic information, the DNA, and more importantly, to enable precise regulation of individual genes in response to developmental and environmental stimuli. Accumulating evidence from studies in yeast and animals indicates that the nucleus controls gene activity by spatially segregating active and inactive genes into distinct subnuclear domains. In particular, the nuclear envelope is divided into two domains, the nuclear pores and the non-pore region, for hosting active and inactive genes, respectively. However, plants contain significantly different nuclear-envelope components from those in yeast and animals; as a result, if and how perinuclear gene positioning contributes to gene activity in plants remains unknown. The proposed experiments aim to unveil the significance and mechanism of perinuclear gene positioning in gene activation in plants and establish a live-cell imaging technology for visualizing individual genes. The outcome of this project is expected to generate novel insights into both plant-specific and general principles of spatial genome organization and gene regulation in eukaryotes and establish an enabling technology to facilitate studies on the spatial organization of individual genes in plants. Further, the project will train the next generation of scientists, including underrepresented minority students, in critical thinking, experimental design and execution, and scientific communications.This collaborative project aims to use Arabidopsis thaliana as a model to understand the significance and mechanism of perinuclear gene positioning in gene activation in plants. The PI pioneered the discovery of the nuclear-periphery localization of light-inducible genes upon activation. Stemming from the previous studies, the PIs will employ cell biology and genetics approaches to determine the function of the nuclear envelope in the developmental and environmental control of gene activation and to elucidate the mechanism of gene recruitment to the nuclear periphery in plants. Also, the PIs plan to establish a CRISPR-based imaging technology for labeling single-copy genes in living plant cells. Together, this integrated approach is expected to provide insights into the function of the plant nuclear envelope in gene regulation and establish a genetically tractable experimental model for studying gene positioning in the plant kingdom. The research team will disseminate the scientific findings and the new empowering technology through publication and conference presentations to promote research on gene positioning in plants. This award was co-funded by the Genetic Mechanisms and Cellular Dynamics and Function clusters of the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences.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.