Genetic basis of metabolic and phenotypic plasticity and its relation to plant fitness

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Phenotypic plasticity is the ability of an organism to modify its phenotype in response to changes in their environment and it is particularly important trait for sessile plants to adapt to rapid environmental changes. Although plasticity can provide fitness advantage and mitigate negative effects of antropogenic environmental perturbations, its genetic basis is still largely unknown. By using global and local accessions of Arabidopsis thaliana, we will continue our research on unraveling the genetic mechanisms of plasticity. The outcome of the first funding period will be an experimentally validated theory of metabolic plasticity that allows us to pinpoint genes which influence metabolic and phenotypic plasticity under simulated and tested environments. In the second phase, we will further experimentally characterize these genes and in addition use the gathered datasets to refine the models for identification of genes controlling plasticity. Moreover, we will expand the theoretical framework and experimental evidence to understand the relationship between metabolic and phenotypic plasticity and plant fitness.