Elucidating roles for poplar SNF1-related protein kinases(SnRK1) in dormancy-associated processes

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

Dormancy is an adaptation that temperate zone forest trees and other perennials have acquired to withstand the harsh conditions of winter. Dormancy is usually triggered by autumn-associated environmental cues such as shortened daylength and lower temperatures, and is accompanied by a suite of other developmental and physiological events that allow the plant to withstand inclement winter conditions, such as bud formation, cold, freezing and/or desiccation tolerance, and carbon and nitrogen resource reallocation and storage reserve synthesis. Late dormancy acquisition may lead to desiccation or cold injury, irrevocable loss of resources, or other negative consequences, while early dormancy acquisition abbreviates the growing season and reduces plant productivity. Molecular regulators of dormancy-associated processes are thus potential determinants of plant survival, growth, productivity, and fitness. It is surprising that only a few dormancy-associated molecular regulators have been identified to date in any plant species. The goal of my research program is to discover and characterize molecular regulators of processes implicated in dormancy acquisition and overwintering in forest trees. Since annuals cannot be used to study dormancy, poplars are ideal models for investigating dormancy-associated regulators. My laboratory has new evidence that a group of protein kinases called SnRK1 may be involved in regulating dormancy-associated processes in poplar. I propose to use a number of molecular biology and genomics techniques to discover SnRK1-regulated genes and proteins in poplar during dormancy acquisition, and use this information to identify processes that are regulated by SnRK1 during this transition from active growth to dormancy. I also aim to identify factors that regulate SnRK1. Together, this information will provide new insight into regulation of dormancy-associated processes in forest trees such as poplar.