RUI: Analysis of Mutants Identified in Screens for Suppressors or Enhancers of a Red Light Hypersensitive E3 Ubiquitin-Ligase Mutant

感知和响应光的能力对植物的生长发育至关重要。在之前的工作中，首席研究员（PI）已经在模式开花植物拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）中鉴定并表征了两个基因（LRB1和LRB2），这些基因调节对红色波长光的反应。这两个基因被破坏的突变植物，除其他外，更耐阴。PI已经使用这些突变体作为新的基因筛选的基础，旨在识别在光感知和反应中起作用的其他基因。这个项目将使用各种标准的分子、遗传和生化方法来研究这些基因。通过鉴定和表征以前未涉及光响应的基因，该项目将为植物对光环境的响应机制提供新的见解。遮荫反应在农业中很重要，因为遮荫会增加倒伏（摔倒），降低产量，降低植物对病原体和害虫的防御能力，从而降低农艺性能，因此本项目获得的信息可能有助于指导未来作物植物光反应的工作。此外，该项目的大部分工作将由威斯康星大学欧克莱尔分校（一所四年制公立综合大学）的本科生进行，这将大大提高他们的教育水平，使他们在进入研究生/专业学校或劳动力市场时更具竞争力和更充分的准备。

The ability to perceive and respond to light is vital to plant growth and development. Previous work by the Principal Investigator (PI) has identified and characterized two genes (LRB1 and LRB2) in the model flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana that regulate responses to red wavelength light. Mutant plants with disruptions of these two genes are, among other things, more shade tolerant. The PI has used these mutants as a basis for novel genetic screens intended to identify additional genes that have roles in light perception and response. This project will use a variety of standard molecular, genetic, and biochemical approaches to study these genes. By identifying and characterizing genes which had not been previously implicated in light responses, this project will provide new insights into the mechanisms by which plants respond to their light environment. Shade responses are important in agriculture, as shading can reduce agronomic performance by increasing lodging (falling over), decreasing yield, and reducing plant defenses to pathogens and pests, therefore the information obtained in this project may help guide future work on light responses in crop plants. Also, the majority of work in this project will be conducted by undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire (a four-year public comprehensive university), significantly enhancing their education and making them more competitive and better prepared as they enter graduate/professional school or the workforce.