UVR8 photoreceptor action and regulation

紫外线-B(UV-B)辐射是阳光中很小但能量很高的成分。暴露在UV-B波长(280-315 nm)下对植物有许多影响，包括代谢和发育的变化，影响生化成分、植物结构和防御。UV-B的作用是由于它能够调节许多植物基因的表达，包括那些参与代谢途径、紫外线保护、形态形成和抵御病虫害的基因。因此，重要的是要了解UV-B是如何被植物感知的，以及它是如何启动反应的。参与这些过程的一个关键成分是一种名为UVR8的蛋白质，它充当检测UV-B光的光感受器。UVR8在物理上与其他蛋白质、COP1和一些转录因子相互作用，启动植物对UV-B的反应。进一步的蛋白质，称为RUP蛋白，抑制UVR8的活性。然而，我们对决定UVR8如何与这些蛋白质不同地相互作用以控制其活性的分子机制知之甚少，尽管我们知道它涉及UVR8蛋白质的特定区域。因此，这个项目的目的是了解UVR8如何与关键调控蛋白相互作用。除了建立UVR8作用的分子基础外，所获得的信息还为识别UVR8及其相互作用蛋白的变体提供了可能性，这些变体将允许操纵作物中的UVR8活性，以提高质量和生产力。

Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation is a minor but very energetic component of sunlight. Exposure to UV-B wavelengths (280-315 nm) has numerous effects on plants, including changes in metabolism and development that impact on biochemical composition, plant architecture and defence. The effects of UV-B are due to its ability to regulate the expression of numerous plant genes, including those involved in metabolic pathways, UV-protection, morphogenesis and defence against pests and pathogens. It is therefore important to understand how UV-B is perceived by plants and how it initiates responses. A key component involved in these processes is a protein called UVR8, which acts as a photoreceptor to detect UV-B light. UVR8 physically interacts with other proteins, COP1 and a number of transcription factors, to initiate responses to UV-B in plants. Further proteins, termed RUP proteins repress UVR8 activity. However, we have little understanding of the molecular mechanisms that determine how UVR8 interacts differentially with these proteins to control its activity, although we know that it involves a particular region of the UVR8 protein. Hence the aim of this project is to understand how UVR8 interacts with key regulatory proteins. In addition to establishing the molecular basis of UVR8 action, the information gained opens up the possibility of identifying variants of UVR8 and its interacting proteins that would allow manipulation of UVR8 activity in crop plants to enhance aspects of quality and productivity.