Project description:The plant circadian clock is linked to development on every scale, from control of the cell cycle to determination of flowering time. Of particular importance is the photoperiodic pathway, through which changes of day length (photoperiod) are interpreted. Circadian regulation of this pathway is generally studied in seedlings. This allows researchers to test the effect of different environmental conditions, such as extreme photoperiods or temperature, more rapidly than in adult plants. However, this approach fails to identify links between the photoperiodic pathway and other ageing-related processes, such as senescence. To close this knowledge gap, we collected data from Arabidopsis thaliana at two different timescales: the ‘flowering’ timescale and the ‘daily’ timescale. By shifting the photoperiod from short days (SD) to long days (LD), we induced flowering, via the photoperiodic pathway. We then sampled across 24h at 2, 7, and 12 days after this transition. We find that the regulation of senescence-associated genes begins soon after the transition from SD to LD. We explore how downstream targets of the circadian clock have changes in expression across the flowering timescale. Surprisingly, many genes shift from their time of peak expression, suggesting a widespread rewiring of the circadian clock’s targets during the flowering transition.
Project description:We have sequenced a wild Prunus mume and constructed a reference sequence for this genome. In order to improve quality of gene models, RNA samples of five tissues (bud, leaf, root, stem, fruit) were extracted from the Prunus mume. To investigate tissue specific expression using the reference genome assembly and annotated genes, we extracted RNA samples of different tissues and conducted transcriptome sequencing and DEG analysis. Five RNA pools were created corresponding to different tissues of the Prunus mume.
Project description:Maternal environment is an important regultor of seed dormancy, but the mechanisms underlying the process are poorly understood. We have found that genes in the circadian clock control dormancy, in part through their regulation of the canonical photoperiod pathway known from research into flowering time control. In this experiment we compare the affects of altering seed maturation temperature or maternal photoperiod on dry seed transcriptomes, and the photoperiod-insenstive ft-1 mutant to wt type Ler. In this way we are identifying gene expression programmes which result from the seed's response to maternal environmental experience. Keywords: Expression profilling by array
Project description:Maternal environment is an important regultor of seed dormancy, but the mechanisms underlying the process are poorly understood. We have found that genes in the circadian clock control dormancy, in part through their regulation of the canonical photoperiod pathway known from research into flowering time control. In this experiment we compare the affects of altering seed maturation temperature or maternal photoperiod on dry seed transcriptomes, and the photoperiod-insenstive ft-1 mutant to wt type Ler. In this way we are identifying gene expression programmes which result from the seed's response to maternal environmental experience. Keywords: Expression profilling by array 12 samples were used in this experiment
Project description:Plants are sessile organisms that have acquired highly plastic developmental strategies to adapt to the environment. Among these processes, the floral transition is essential to ensure reproductive success and is finely regulated by several internal and external genetic networks. The photoperiodic pathway, which controls the plant response to day length, is one of the most important pathways controlling flowering. In Arabidopsis photoperiodic flowering, CONSTANS (CO) is the central gene activating the expression of the florigen FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) in the leaves at the end of a long day. CO expression is strongly regulated by the circadian clock. However, to date, no evidence has been reported regarding a feedback loop from the photoperiod pathway back to the circadian clock. Using transcriptional networks, we have identified relevant network motifs regulating the interplay between the circadian clock and the photoperiod pathway. Gene expression, chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments and phenotypic analysis allowed us to elucidate the role of CO over the circadian clock. Plants with altered CO expression showed a different internal clock period, measured by daily rhythmic movements in the leaves. We show that CO is able to activate key genes related to the circadian clock, such as CCA1, LHY, PRR5 and GI, at the end of a long day by binding to specific sites on their promoters. Moreover, a significant number of PRR5 repressed target genes are upregulated by CO, and this could explain the phase transition promoted by CO. The CO-PRR5 complex interacts with the bZIP transcription factor HY5 and helps to localize the complex in the promoters of clock genes. Our results indicate that there may be a feedback loop in which CO communicates back to the circadian clock, feeding seasonal information to the circadian system.
Project description:Plants are sessile organisms that have acquired highly plastic developmental strategies to adapt to the environment. Among these processes, the floral transition is essential to ensure reproductive success and is finely regulated by several internal and external genetic networks. The photoperiodic pathway, which controls the plant response to day length, is one of the most important pathways controlling flowering. In Arabidopsis photoperiodic flowering, CONSTANS (CO) is the central gene activating the expression of the florigen FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) in the leaves at the end of a long day. CO expression is strongly regulated by the circadian clock. However, to date, no evidence has been reported regarding a feedback loop from the photoperiod pathway back to the circadian clock. Using transcriptional networks, we have identified relevant network motifs regulating the interplay between the circadian clock and the photoperiod pathway. Gene expression, chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments and phenotypic analysis allowed us to elucidate the role of CO over the circadian clock. Plants with altered CO expression showed a different internal clock period, measured by daily rhythmic movements in the leaves. We show that CO is able to activate key genes related to the circadian clock, such as CCA1, LHY, PRR5 and GI, at the end of a long day by binding to specific sites on their promoters. Moreover, a significant number of PRR5 repressed target genes are upregulated by CO, and this could explain the phase transition promoted by CO. The CO-PRR5 complex interacts with the bZIP transcription factor HY5 and helps to localize the complex in the promoters of clock genes. Our results indicate that there may be a feedback loop in which CO communicates back to the circadian clock, feeding seasonal information to the circadian system.
Project description:We have sequenced a wild Prunus mume and constructed a reference sequence for this genome. In order to improve quality of gene models, RNA samples of five tissues (bud, leaf, root, stem, fruit) were extracted from the Prunus mume. To investigate tissue specific expression using the reference genome assembly and annotated genes, we extracted RNA samples of different tissues and conducted transcriptome sequencing and DEG analysis.
Project description:Interaction proteomics time course over 24h every 4h, looking for novel interactors of the circadian clock and flowering time protein GIGANTEA. Plants expressing 35S:GIGANTEA:3xFlag6His were used, as well as WT plants for a background control.
Project description:Leafy spurge is a model for studying well-defined phases of dormancy in underground adventitious buds (UABs) of herbaceous perennial weeds, which is a primary factor allowing many invasive perennial weeds to escape conventional control measures. A 12-week ramp down in both temperature (27°C → 10°C) and photoperiod (16 h → 8 h light) is required to induce a transition from para- to endo-dormancy in UABs of leafy spurge. To evaluate the effects of photoperiod and temperature on molecular networks associated with this transition, we compared global transcriptome data-sets obtained from UABs of leafy spurge exposed to a ramp down in both temperature and photoperiod (RDtp) vs. a ramp down in temperature (RDt) alone. Analysis of transcriptome data-sets indicated that numerous genes associated with circadian clock, photoperiodism, flowering, and hormone responses (CCA1, COP1, HY5, MAF3, MAX2) were preferentially expressed during the transition from para- to endo-dormancy. Gene-set enrichment analyses highlighted metabolic pathways associated with ethylene, auxin, flavonoids, and carbohydrate metabolism; whereas, sub-network enrichment analyses identified hubs (CCA1, CO, FRI, mir172A, EINs, DREBs) of gene networks associated with carbohydrate metabolism, circadian clock, flowering, and stress and hormone responses during the transition to endodormancy. These results helped refine existing models for the transition to endodormancy in UABs of leafy spurge, which strengthened the roles of circadian clock associated genes, DREBs, COP1-HY5, carbohydrate metabolism, and involvement of hormones (ABA, ethylene, and strigolactones). Further, we propose that the RDtp treatment ultimately leads to a chain effect, responsive to photoperiod and temperature signaling, to synchronize molecular processes associated with the transition from para- to endo-dormancy.