Project description:LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1), an atypical subunit of the NF-Y CCAAT binding transcription factor, is a central regulator that controls many aspects of seed development including the maturation phase during which seeds accumulate storage macromolecules and embryos acquire the ability to withstand desiccation. To define the gene network and developmental processes controlled by LEC1, genes regulated directly by and downstream of LEC1 were identified. In this part of the study, we identified the genes regulated by LEC1 by overexpressing an inducible form of LEC1 in Arabidopsis seedlings and identifying the mRNAs induced EARLY (1h) after induction of LEC1 activity.
Project description:LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1), an atypical subunit of the NF-Y CCAAT binding transcription factor, is a central regulator that controls many aspects of seed development including the maturation phase during which seeds accumulate storage macromolecules and embryos acquire the ability to withstand desiccation. To define the gene network and developmental processes controlled by LEC1, genes regulated directly by and downstream of LEC1 were identified. In this part of the study, we identified the genes bound by LEC1 by overexpressing a FLAG-tagged inducible form of LEC1 in Arabidopsis seedlings and inducing LEC1 activity for a short (4 hours) or long (8 days) period of time, to identify the genes bound EARLY and LATE, respectively.
Project description:lec1::gr induction - Identification of LEC1 target genes - Induction of 14 days old LEC1::GR seedlings , different treatments (EtOH, DEX, DEX+ABA, induction) for 8 hours
Project description:In plants, fatty acids are de novo synthesized predominantly in plastids fromacetyl-CoA. Although fatty acid biosynthesis has been biochemically well-studied, little isknown about the regulatory mechanisms of the pathway. Here, we show that overexpressionof the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) gene causesglobally increased expression of fatty acid biosynthetic genes, which are involved in keyreactions of condensation, chain elongation and desaturation of fatty acid biosynthesis. Inthe plastidial fatty acid synthetic pathway, over 58% of known enzyme-coding genes areupregulated in LEC1-overexpressing transgenic plants, including those encoding threesubunits of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, a key enzyme controlling the fatty acid biosynthesisflux. Moreover, genes involved in glycolysis and lipid accumulation are also upregulated.Consistent with these results, levels of major fatty acid species and lipids were substantiallyincreased in the transgenic plants. Genetic analysis indicates that the LEC1 function ispartially dependent on ABSCISIC ACID INSENSITIVE3, FUSCA3 and WRINKLED1 in theregulation of fatty acid biosynthesis. Moreover, a similar phenotype was observed intransgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing two LEC1-like genes of Brassica napus.These results suggest that LEC1 and LEC1-like genes act as key regulators to coordinate theexpression of fatty acid biosynthetic genes, thereby representing a promising target forgenetic improvement of oil-production plants.