Functional analysis of multi-gene complexes regulating photoperiod-dependent flowering time

University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus, Norman OK

Investigators

Abstract

PI: Ben Ford Holt III, Proposal Number: IOS-0920258 Project Title: "Functional analysis of multi-gene complexes regulating photoperiod-dependent flowering time" For even the most casual observer, it is well known that plant flowering (reproduction) is coupled to the seasons. This is no accident - like all successful organisms, plants evolved with the unique problems of their native environments and have developed the ability to grow and reproduce under optimal conditions. Because agricultural productivity depends heavily on the timing of developmental events, discovering how plants use changes in their environment to determine when to begin flowering is an important question in plant biology. In temperate climates, such as the United States, many environmental variables change throughout the year. As changes in day length (or "photoperiod") are essentially identical between years, many plants use this as an accurate signal to trigger flowering at the correct time. Although scientists are beginning to unravel the underlying molecular mechanisms used by plants to determine photoperiod, there is still much to learn. This project is focused on several new genes that are necessary for the appropriate timing of flowering in response to changing photoperiod. Plants with mutant versions of these genes lose the ability to properly use day length as a cue to flower; instead, they flower several weeks or even months later than normal. Although the identity of these genes is known, it is not known how theses genes help plants flower at the right time. These same genes are involved in a second developmental transition - the shift from seed dormancy to germination. Using the combined tools of genetics, molecular biology, and biochemistry, this project will address 1) how these genes are acting to turn on flowering in the plant cell, and 2) how they are functioning to simultaneously control seed germination. Because both flowering time and seed dormancy are important agricultural traits, understanding how these processes intersect is essential to enhancing future crop performance.