Project description:This application is the second part of a BBSRC-funded grant to compare and contrast the plastid-signalling pathways disrupted by Norflurazon and far-red light treatment of Arabidopsis seedlings. The first application of this laboratory to GARNet's Affymetrix service (2002-08-25-17.41.49_McCormac) addressed the Norflurazon pathway; this application addresses the far-red pathway. The assembly of photosynthetic complexes in developing chloroplasts is critical to the establishment of the autotrophic plant. This requires light-mediated upregulation of both nuclear- and chloroplast-encoded genes. The expression of such photosynthetically-associated nuclear genes is also often dependant on a retrograde plastid signal which emanates from chloroplasts to modulate nuclear transcription. Extensive studies using the herbicide Norflurazon to knock-out the plastid signal (including this lab's previous Affymetrix application to GARNet) are identifying the affected gene sets. However, genetic studies have indicated the existence of more than one plastid signalling pathway. We have recently investigated a phytochrome A-mediated, far-red (FR) input pathway which blocks subsequent chloroplast development under white light (WL). This has also been found to inhibit the transcription of a small group of known nuclear-encoded plastidic proteins. Here we wish to establish how wide-reaching this FR-effect is on nuclear transcription, and will directly compare the affected gene groups with those identified from our earlier (and other's) studies with a Norflurazon treatment. In this array experiment we will compare RNA from seedlings grown in complete darkness (D) before transfer to WL, with that of seedlings preconditioned under a restricted wavelength FR source before exposure to WL. This comparison of FR- and Norflurazon-affected gene groupings will indicate whether the plastid signalling pathways are likely to be the same, overlapping or highly divergent. As well as wild-type seedlings, the gun1,gun5 mutant line is to be used as both these alleles are well established as alleviating the Norflurazon-inhibited pathway, but their affect on the FR-pathway is less clear. A single replicate of a phyA-null mutant line will also be included in order to differentiate between specific phytochromeA-mediated responses and other FR effects. It is envisaged that, in general, D- and FR-treated samples of the phyA mutant line will respond in the same way as each other and as the wild-type D-treated samples and, thus, the lack of a biological repeat in this case is not a major short-fall. The proposed experiment will consist of: wild-type: D-pretreated (x2 biological replicates) wild-type: FR-preconditioned (x2) gun1,gun5: D-pretreated (x2) gun1,gun5: FR-preconditioned (x2) phyA: D-pretreated (x1) phyA: FR-preconditioned (x1)

Project description:PCD is a highly organised process that is involved in development and in an organisms response to biotic stresses (toxins and avirulent pathogens) and abiotic stresses (such as temperature, water availability, etc.). It is a genetically regulated form of cellular suicide, however in plants the underlying process is poorly understood. Although PCD may occur in response to different stimuli; we believe once it is triggered, one core mechanism is responsible for the cellular demise. It is our aim to identify the elements of this mechanism. We will do this by expanding on the work of a previous user of GARNet's GeneChip microarray facility, Dr. Jodi Swidzinski. She utilised an Arabidopsis cell suspension system; performing microarray analysis on both senescing, and heat shock induced PCD samples. This resulted in data showing that a large number of genes were upregulated (or downregulated) in response to both treatments. We are working under the premise that some of the genes that were similarly regulated under both treatments must be core PCD genes. However because of the large amount of data generated it is difficult to choose appropriate candidate genes (with any degree of confidence that they are core genes) for further study. We propose to use a third PCD-inducing treatment, involving a mycotoxin, to generate another population of microarray results. The mycotoxin we intend to use is Fumonisin B1 (FB1). This is an extremely potent compound that induces PCD by disrupting ceramide synthesis. We have found Arabidopsis protoplasts to be much more sensitive than cells to the toxin at low concentrations. Protoplasts are treated with 20mM FB1 and RNA is extracted at time points when 0%, 20% and 40% of protoplasts have died. This RNA is then pooled. RNA from methanol treated protoplasts is used as a control. We intend for these RNA samples to be subjected to GeneChip microarray analysis. This would identify genes differentially regulated due to FB1 treatment, which would be interesting in itself. However, by combining this data with that from previous work by Swidzinski (2002) we will be able to decrease the pool of possible core genes further, and increase the chances of selecting an appropriate candidate gene. This will both improve upon existing work and add value to an existing GARNet data set.

Project description:Regulation of expression of genes encoding chloroplast components is critical to the autotrophic plant and never more so than in the cotyledons of the de-etiolating seedling. Many chloroplast proteins are nuclear-encoded and a retrograde signal from the chloroplasts (the Plastid Signal) modulates nuclear transcription. However, not all chloroplast-targeted genes are subject to this control and not all plastid-dependent nuclear genes are chloroplast-targeted. We therefore aim to provide the most comprehensive screen yet of which genes are affected by plastid-signalling. To specifically knock-out positive plastid signalling in light-grown cotyledons, the herbicide Norflurazon (NF) is supplied in the growth medium, causing a carotenoid deficiency that leaves the chloroplasts vulnerable to photobleaching. This blocks the expression of a subset of nuclear genes, such as Lhcb and HEMA1. Two pairs of RNAs will directly compare the transcription in seedlings grown under continuous white light with and without NF. A third RNA will also be compared from a mutant that shows a degree of constitutive positive plastid signalling. These two mutants act synergistically to counteract the effect of NF on nuclear transcription. The gun1,gun5 double mutant maintains a significantly higher level of Lhcb and HEMA1 expression in the presence of photobeached chloroplasts than the NF-treated wild-type. This transcriptome set will therefore complement RNA1 (wild-type+NF) and indicate which of the genes identified from the RNA1/RNA2 comparison are subject to the particular gun1/gun5 plastid signalling pathway(s). The growth of conditions of the seedlings (namely on MS medium supplemented with 1.5% sucrose, for 3 days under continuous WL following 2 days germination in darkness) has been chosen from the results of our own recent studies using Northern blotting techniques that show these conditions to maximise the respective NF and gun mutant effects on Lhcb and HEMA1 gene expression. This experiment is part one of a two-part study to compare the transcriptional output of this NF-affected pathway with that of a newly discovered FR-mediated pathway. A subsequent array experiment will assess the nuclear response as affected by this FR/ phyA-input pathway and the two sets of array data will be compared and contrasted. Note: Col-0 wild-type (NASC code N1092). gun1,gun5 double mutant(obtained from Enriquez Lopez-Juez, Royal Holloway, University of London.(Mochizuki et al. 2001 PNAS 98: 2053-2058). This line cannot be donated by us as it is the IP of Joanne Chory (SALK Institute, USA). Treatment = a herbicide (Norflurazon) application which leads to chloroplast photobleaching and hence down regulation of nuclear genes dependent on plastid signalling from intact chloroplasts.

Project description:This application is the second part of a BBSRC-funded grant to compare and contrast the plastid-signalling pathways disrupted by Norflurazon and far-red light treatment of Arabidopsis seedlings. The first application of this laboratory to GARNet's Affymetrix service (2002-08-25-17.41.49_McCormac) addressed the Norflurazon pathway; this application addresses the far-red pathway. The assembly of photosynthetic complexes in developing chloroplasts is critical to the establishment of the autotrophic plant. This requires light-mediated upregulation of both nuclear- and chloroplast-encoded genes. The expression of such photosynthetically-associated nuclear genes is also often dependant on a retrograde plastid signal which emanates from chloroplasts to modulate nuclear transcription. Extensive studies using the herbicide Norflurazon to knock-out the plastid signal (including this lab's previous Affymetrix application to GARNet) are identifying the affected gene sets. However, genetic studies have indicated the existence of more than one plastid signalling pathway. We have recently investigated a phytochrome A-mediated, far-red (FR) input pathway which blocks subsequent chloroplast development under white light (WL). This has also been found to inhibit the transcription of a small group of known nuclear-encoded plastidic proteins. Here we wish to establish how wide-reaching this FR-effect is on nuclear transcription, and will directly compare the affected gene groups with those identified from our earlier (and other's) studies with a Norflurazon treatment. In this array experiment we will compare RNA from seedlings grown in complete darkness (D) before transfer to WL, with that of seedlings preconditioned under a restricted wavelength FR source before exposure to WL. This comparison of FR- and Norflurazon-affected gene groupings will indicate whether the plastid signalling pathways are likely to be the same, overlapping or highly divergent. As well as wild-type seedlings, the gun1,gun5 mutant line is to be used as both these alleles are well established as alleviating the Norflurazon-inhibited pathway, but their affect on the FR-pathway is less clear. A single replicate of a phyA-null mutant line will also be included in order to differentiate between specific phytochromeA-mediated responses and other FR effects. It is envisaged that, in general, D- and FR-treated samples of the phyA mutant line will respond in the same way as each other and as the wild-type D-treated samples and, thus, the lack of a biological repeat in this case is not a major short-fall. The proposed experiment will consist of: wild-type: D-pretreated (x2 biological replicates) wild-type: FR-preconditioned (x2) gun1,gun5: D-pretreated (x2) gun1,gun5: FR-preconditioned (x2) phyA: D-pretreated (x1) phyA: FR-preconditioned (x1) Experiment Overall Design: Number of plants pooled:300 seedlings

Project description:The proposal aims to characterise the pathways of DSB repair and recombination in Arabidopsis with the main focus of this research being the NHEJ pathway of illegitimate recombination. We will build on our expertise and resources in the field of DSB repair in plants, using the Arabidopsis NHEJ mutant atku80 which is an excellent model system for the study of DSB repair in higher eukaryotes (West et al., 2002 Plant J. 31, 517-28). Comparison of the transcriptome in NHEJ mutant and wild type plants under different experimental conditions will identify novel candidate genes involved in DNA DSB repair or damage signalling pathways.We will conduct 4 separate experiments on Arabidopsis seedlings grown on 0.5 MS media: the first will be a control consisting of Wassilewskija (WS-2) plants grown under standard conditions. In the second experiment WS plants will be exposed to the chemotherapeutic agent bleomycin (1 microgram per ml). This agent has been shown to cause both single and double strand breaks in the genome of Arabidopsis seedlings (Menke et al., 2001 Mut. Res. 493, 87-93). This agent is used in preference to gamma irradiation, which causes high levels of oxidative damage to cellular components. These experiments will characterise for the first time the transcriptional responses of Arabidopsis cells to the specific induction of DNA strand breaks. The transcript profile will also be determined in untreated atku80 mutants. This experiment will identify the components of novel and previously characterised DNA repair pathways up regulated in the mutant background. Finally, transcript analysis of bleomycin treated atku80 mutants and comparison with untreated mutant plants and both untreated and treated WS plants will identify novel putative DSB repair genes up regulated in response to genotoxic stress in the absence of a Ku80 mediated DSB repair pathway.The results of these studies will provide new and important information which will be instrumental in identifying novel genes and pathways involved in DNA repair and genome stability in plants and help elucidate the fundamental differences that exist between animal and plant DSB repair processes. Experiment Overall Design: Number of plants pooled:20

Dataset Information

Transcription profiling of Arabidopsis response to mycotoxin treatment on gene expression of wild type and an altered sensitivity mutant

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