Molecular dissection of the STENOFOLIA transcriptional network controlling leaf blade outgrowth in Medicago truncatula

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater OK

Investigators

Abstract

PI: Million Tadege Proposal number: IOS-1354422 Title: Molecular dissection of the STENOFOLIA transcriptional network controlling leaf blade outgrowth in Medicago truncatula. Leaves are the energy powerhouses of plants serving as major sites of photosynthetic carbon assimilation, which sustains life on earth. The leaf blade is a highly organized structure with cells in the upper and lower surfaces specialized for solar energy capture and gaseous exchange, respectively. The mechanism by which this highly organized blade development regulated is a longstanding question in plant developmental biology. The M. truncatula regulatory gene, STENOFOLIA (STF), critically regulates blade outgrowth in the middle region between the upper and lower leaf surfaces. The mechanism of STF function is unknown, which creates a major gap in understanding of the mechanism that governs leaf blade development. The overarching objective of this project is to understand the molecular mechanism of leaf blade development by analyzing the function of STF. This objective will be achieved using a combination of molecular and genomics approaches. The project will integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines including biochemistry, evolutionary biology, and developmental biology and will transform the mechanistic understanding of growth in plant lateral organs by providing the molecular basis for cell proliferation and expansion in the leaf tissue. This is very exciting because it will uncover the fundamental basis of plant form and function. The knowledge gained from this project will enable manipulating plant size and architecture to optimize photosynthetic efficiency and environmental adaptation to improve biomass and crop yield for food, feed, fuel, and fiber for the benefit of society. The project will provide excellent training to post-doctoral fellows, graduates, undergraduates, and senior high school students and is committed to cultivate minority participation in science.