Integrating UV-B signalling in to plant photomorphogenesis networks

除了为光合作用提供能量外，光还为植物提供重要的空间和季节信息。光信号是由特殊的光感受器感知的，其中包括吸收红色和远红光的光敏色素和吸收蓝色光的隐色素。UV-B辐射(280-315 nm)是植物新陈代谢和发育的主要调节因子，虽然它只是阳光的一个次要成分。最近，备受追捧的UV-B光感受器被确定为7叶片螺旋桨蛋白UVR8。尽管植物感知整个阳光光谱，但UV-B信号的研究传统上是与其他光感受器网络分开进行的。UV-B处理的植物的矮化表型已经确立，但支持这种显着的发育适应的分子机制尚不清楚。我们最近的工作发现了一种新的分子机制，UV-B通过与光敏色素和隐色素信号通路的直接串扰来调节植物的结构。拟议的研究计划将建立在这些令人兴奋的发现的基础上，以加深对植物中阳光信号的分子理解。更具体地说，我们的目标是了解UVR8感知的UV-B如何控制在农业上重要的遮荫回避反应。

In addition to supplying energy for photosynthesis, light provides plants with important spatial and seasonal information. Light signals are perceived by specialised photoreceptors, which include the red and far-red light-absorbing phytochromes and the blue light-absorbing cryptochromes. Although a minor component of sunlight, UV-B radiation (280-315 nm) is a major regulator of plant metabolism and development. The much sought-after UV-B photoreceptor has recently been identified as the 7-bladed propeller protein, UVR8. Although plants perceive the full sunlight spectrum, UV-B signalling has traditionally been studied in isolation from other photoreceptor networks. The dwarf phenotype of UV-B-treated plants is well-established but the molecular mechanisms underpinning this striking developmental adaptation are unknown. Our recent work has identified a novel molecular mechanism through which UV-B regulates plant architecture, via direct crosstalk with phytochrome and cryptochrome signalling pathways. The proposed research programme will build on these exciting findings to gain deeper molecular understanding of sunlight signalling in plants. More specifically, we aim to understand how UV-B perceived by UVR8 controls the agriculturally-important shade avoidance response.