Light-Induced Chloroplast Movements in Arabidopsis

Indiana University, Bloomington IN

Investigators

Abstract

Light-dependent chloroplast movements have been observed in many plants including algae, moss, ferns, and angiosperms. These chloroplast movements have been hypothesized to serve adaptive functions such that movement of chloroplasts to the upper and lower surfaces of cells in low light may improve light capture, whereas chloroplast movement to the sides of cells may protect them from photodamage. The experiments outlined in this proposal incorporate a combination of genetic, molecular and physiological approaches to understand the mechanism of chloroplast movements and to test the hypothesized adaptive significance. The proposed work is expected to lead to the identification of the photoreceptor system(s) for light-induced chloroplast movement, elucidate the motility mechanism(s) responsible for the movement, provide insights into the nature of the signal transduction pathway, and allow us to determine the functional significance of chloroplast movements during plant growth and development. Understanding how light-induced chloroplast movements impact photosynthetic potential could lead to agricultural applications. In addition to the training of one postdoctoral fellow and two graduate students during the award period, the participation of several undergraduate students throughout this project is also anticipated.