Project description:Earlier findings indicated that light plays a critical role in the development of frost tolerance in winter cereals. However, the exact mechanism is still poorly understood. In the present work the effects of light during the cold acclimation period were studied in chilling-sensitive maize plants. The results show that although exposure to relatively high light intensities during cold acclimation at 15 °C causes various stress symptoms, it enhances the effectiveness of acclimation to chilling conditions (5 °C in the light). Interestingly, certain stress responses were light-dependent not only in the leaves, but also in the roots. A microarray study was also conducted to achieve a better understanding of the interaction of low temperature and light intensity during the cold hardening period. Numerous genes significantly differentially expressed were observed in almost all assimilation and metabolic pathways. Acclimation at moderately low temperature and low light intensity reduced the level of soluble sugars, while chilling increased it. Greater accumulation during hardening was detected at relatively high light intensity. It seems that the photoinhibition induced by low temperature is a necessary evil for cold acclimation processes in plants.
Project description:Heat acclimation (AC) allows its faster re-induction following its decline. Constitutively preserved euchromatin state in hsp70 promoter during acclimation decline/regain pushed forward the hypothesis that acclimation decline is a period of “dormant memory” involving molecular program including epigenetic controlled transcriptional regulation leading to heat acclimation mediated cytoprotective memory. We used microarray to uncover hallmark pathways in the induction of heat-acclimation-mediated memory, focusing on markers of epigenetic processes.
Project description:Heat acclimation (AC) allows its faster re-induction following its decline. Constitutively preserved euchromatin state in hsp70 promoter during acclimation decline/regain pushed forward the hypothesis that acclimation decline is a period of M-bM-^@M-^\dormant memoryM-bM-^@M-^] involving molecular program including epigenetic controlled transcriptional regulation leading to heat acclimation mediated cytoprotective memory. We used microarray to uncover hallmark pathways in the induction of heat-acclimation-mediated memory, focusing on markers of epigenetic processes. Rats subjected to heat acclimation, deacclimation, reacclimation and untreated controls were used. We showed here that (i) AC2d provides the molecular switch for acclimation (ii) AC30 heart demonstrates qualitative adaptations (iii) specific molecular program encompassing up/down regulated gene during DeAC, of which epigenetic markers such as class A histones, chromatin modifiers and microRNA suggest epigenetic transcriptional regulation linked to acclimation memory (iv) constitutive upregulation of MAPK P38 module and targets as well as jak/stat and AKT associated pathways during DeAC imply its major role in this process. Noteworthy are players such as poly-(ADP-ribose)polymerase-1 (PARP1) and linker histones (histones H1 cluster in this process).
Project description:The sfr3-1 mutation causes freezing-sensitivity in Arabidopsis thaliana. The mutated gene has been identified by positional cloning and is currently being characterised. The mutant appears normal when grown in the warm (no phenotype has been identified associated with such growth). However, following cold acclimation and subsequent freezing mutant plants are severely damaged whilst wild type plants are not. This suggests that sfr3 is deficient in the cold acclimation process. Micro-array analysis will enable the identification of any transcriptional changes during the cold acclimation process. This information will then be used, together with information obtained by gene characterisation, in order to more fully understand the nature of the sfr3 mutation.
Project description:The sfr3-1 mutation causes freezing-sensitivity in Arabidopsis thaliana. The mutated gene has been identified by positional cloning and is currently being characterised. The mutant appears normal when grown in the warm (no phenotype has been identified associated with such growth). However, following cold acclimation and subsequent freezing mutant plants are severely damaged whilst wild type plants are not. This suggests that sfr3 is deficient in the cold acclimation process. Micro-array analysis will enable the identification of any transcriptional changes during the cold acclimation process. This information will then be used, together with information obtained by gene characterisation, in order to more fully understand the nature of the sfr3 mutation. 8 samples were used in this experiment.
Project description:MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression. Their levels are precisely controlled through modulating the activity of the microprocesser complex (MC). Here we report that JANUS, a homology of the conserved U2 snRNP assembly factor in yeast and human, is required for miRNA accumulation. JANUS associates with MC components Dicer-like 1 and SERRATE (SE) and directly binds the stem-loop of pri-miRNAs. In a hypomorphic janus mutant, the activity of DCL1, the numbers of MC, and the interaction of primary miRNA transcript (pri-miRNAs) with MC are reduced. These data suggest that JANUS promotes the assembly and activity of MC through its interaction with MC and/or pri-miRNAs. In addition, JANUS modulates the transcription of some pri-miRNAs as it binds the promoter of pri-miRNAs and promotes Pol II occupancy of at their promoters. Moreover, global splicing defects are detected in janus. Taken together, our study reveals a novel role of a conserved splicing factor in miRNA biogenesis.