BARPHO · Understanding the role of genes involved in phosphate transport and biological functions of the PSR1-related transcription factors in barley using Virus Induced Gene Silencing (VIGS) system

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Project objective

The project aims to use a multidisciplinary approach to study barley genes involved in phosphorus assimilation. Phosphorus (P) is an essential plant nutrient with numerous roles in plant growth and metabolism. Because phosphate (Pi), the form of P taken up by plants, is poorly accessible in most soils, plants have evolved an array of strategies for obtaining the Pi they need, including induction of high affinity Pi transporters, secretion of substances that can mobilize Pi bound in the soil, and changes in root architecture. In barley, several genes encoding Pi transporters have been identified. Based on sequence homology with genes from Arabidopsis, a number of other barley genes with potential roles in phosphate assimilation can be identified. For this study we will use a novel technique Virus Induced Gene Silencing. This technique is now widely used for dicot plants but in the case of monocot plants so far only two systems have been established based on Barley stripe mosaic virus (BSMV) and Brome mosaic virus (BMV). This technique will make it possible to perform functional genomics studies, which so far have been severely hampered in barley by the lack of efficient and fast transformation techniques. To gain insight into the global changes in gene expression caused by silencing of selected genes, RNA extracted from silenced tissues will be subjected to microarray analysis. The host laboratory has an extensive expertise in viral biology, barley and RNA interference and close collaboration with laboratories studying nutrition starvation in A. thaliana and other plant species. The applicant has knowledge about VIGS, barley functional genomics and bioinformatics analysis. The proposed project will yield important contributions to the scientific understanding of Pi assimilation in barley with important potential ecological and economic benefits in terms of reduced cost of fertilizers and reduced eutrophication of the aquatic environment.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

• AARHUS UNIVERSITET · AARHUS CCoordinatorDenmark
• DANISH INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES · TJELECountry levelDenmark

Links

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