National Research Council of Italy

Institute of Biosciences and BioResources

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MIUR-PRIN (Bando 2012): Progetto di Ricerca Triennale - Genetic and epigenetic control of ovule number and fertility in Arabidopsis

Several important events are required for successful seed setting: the ovule primordia have to be formed, followed by pattern formation and morphogenesis and finally after fertilization seeds have to develop. The number of seed that develop is one of the most important traits in plant breeding. Yield enhancement is very important to meet increasing food demand. In addition, there is an increasing demand for plant-derived products for non-food purposes, such as energy production. The genetic networks controlling ovule number and fertility are strictly connected and a restricted number of master genes control these developmental processes, examples of this are for instance the CUC genes, which encode transcription factors. This project aims to study the molecular network determining ovule numbers and fertility using Arabidopsis as a model. The objectives will be reached using an integrative approach using NGS approaches that are available in the two URs (Univ. Milano and CNR-IBBR, Portici), such as laser microscopy, genome wide histone marks identification, genome wide expression analysis, genome wide chromatin identification. One aspect that is important for the control of ovule development but until now not studied, is the involvement of epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Athda19 and Atmcc1 mutants in which the histone acetylation is increased have a phenotype similar to the one described for the cuc2 STK::CUC1 RNAi plants which show ovule specific silencing of the two CUC genes. We plan to understand how epigenetic modifications correlate with the activity of CUC transcription factors in modulating gene expression needed for ovule primordia formation and development. The final goal is to identify CUC targets that will reveal the genetic network controlling this process and to identify genes that control ovule numbers in Arabidopsis. Furthermore, the expected results will be the first step for technology transfer from model species to crops of high value such as Brassica napus. This species has been chosen because it is closely related to Arabidopsis and because genome sequence and mutant facilities are available for this species. The applied aspects of the proposed research are of interest for the agro-food and industrial sectors that will contribute to the technology transfer and to the exploitation of the results. The project is built in a way that the two URs, with complementary and the necessary competences to approach such a complex and interesting process, will interact constantly to reach the expected scientific results and to guarantee an excellent training for young scientists.

Project duration: from February 2014 to January 2017

Principal Investigator UR IBBR, Portici: Clara Conicella (Project Coordinator: Lucia Colombo, Univ. Milano)

 
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