Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/C507629/1
Role of small RNAs in Vernalization.
Grant Award
- Principal Investigator:
- Professor Dame C Dean, John Innes Centre, Cell and Develop Biology
- Grant held at:
- John Innes Centre, Cell and Develop Biology
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Overall Classification:
- Terrestrial
- ENRIs:
- Global Change
- Biodiversity
- Science Topics:
- Environmental Genomics
- Population Genetics/Evolution
- Climate & Climate Change
- Abstract:
- Plant growth and development show remarkable plasticity in response to changes in environment. Our understanding of these responses is poor but advances have been made in dissecting the mechanism of vernalization, the acceleration of flowering by a period of prolonged cold. Vernalization occurs at one stage of development and is then 'remembered' until later in development. The epigenetic regulation of the Arabidopsis gene FLOWERING LOCUS C (FLC), a strong floral repressor, is a major component of this molecular memory. But it is still not clear how prolonged cold initiates FLC repression and how specific domains of FLC as targets for histone modifications. An emerging concept is that small RNAs play major roles in repressing gene expression and guiding chromatin complexes to targets. The aim of this project will be to determine the role of small RNAs in the cold-induced repression of FLC and the cellular memory of vernalization. This will be achieved in a collaboration between the Dean (JIC)/Baulcombe (SL) and Colot/Martienssen (INRA & CSH) laboratories, experts in vernalization/FLC regulation/small RNAs and plant epigenetics respectively and will provide a paradigm for a more general understanding of gene regulation in response to environmental changes. Small RNAs associated with vernalization will then be studied in Arabidopsis accessions with different vernalization responses (identified during the NERC Environmental Genomics programme), to uncover the molecular variation underpinning the adaptation of Arabidopsis accessions to varying winter lengths.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/C507629/1
- Grant Stage:
- Completed
- Scheme:
- Directed Pre FEC
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Post Genomics
This grant award has a total value of £327,432
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs | Total - Indirect Costs |
|---|---|---|
| £178,540 | £66,763 | £82,129 |
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