Project description:Nitrogen and light are two major regulators of plant metabolism and development. While genes involved in the control of each of these signals have begun to be identified, regulators that integrate gene responses to nitrogen and light signals have yet to be determined. Here, we evaluate the role of bZIP1, a transcription factor involved in light and nitrogen sensing, by exposing wild-type (WT) and bZIP1 T-DNA null mutant plants to a combinatorial space of N and L treatment conditions. We use ANOVA analysis combined with clustering and Boolean modeling, to evaluate the role of bZIP1 in mediating L and N signaling genome-wide.
Project description:MiRNAs are important plant regulators responsible for growth, development and stress responses in plants.Previous studies have shown the roles of these miRNA on individual stress conditions, however their role in combined stress conditions such as nitrogen deficiency and drought are still unclear. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying plant responses to combined drought and nitrogen deficiency stress is essential for developing multiple stress-tolerant crops. In this study, Arabidopsis thaliana calli were subjected to combined drought and nitrogen deficiency, RNA extracted and then high throughput sequencing analysis. Analysis identified several differentially expressed miRNAs upregulated and downregulated. We also uncovered the target genes of these miRNAs. Gene ontology analysis provided insights into the different molecular, biological and cellular processes of these target genes. Overall, our findings contribute to the understanding of miRNA-mediated regulatory mechanisms under combined plant stress responses and offer valuable insights for the development of stress-tolerant crop varieties in stressors.
Project description:To optimize access to nitrogen under limiting conditions, root systems must continuously sense and respond to local or temporal fluctuations in nitrogen availability. In Arabidopsis thaliana and several other species, external N levels that induce only mild deficiency stimulate the emergence of lateral roots and especially the elongation of primary and lateral roots. However, the identity of the genes involved in this coordination remains still largely elusive. In order to identify novel genes and mechanisms underlying nitrogen-dependent root morphological changes, we investigated time-dependent changes in the root transcriptome of Arabidopsis thaliana plants grown under sufficient nitrogen or under conditions that induced mild nitrogen deficiency.