Light-responsive cis-elements in nuclear genes

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Margarete Baier
• Subject Area: Plant Genetics and Genomics
• Term: from 2009 to 2014
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 157872254

To improve our understanding of light regulated gene expression in plant cells and of coordination of nuclear gene expression with photosynthesis, Arabidopsis thaliana enhancer trap lines (eTrap lines) will be screened for light-sensitive cis-regulatory elements. At an early step of the analysis, the enhancer elements will be sub-classified based on in vivo reporter gene monitoring into light intensity, light quality or photosynthetically regulated ones. The cis-regulatory elements and the regulated genes will be identified by thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR (TAIL-PCR). Yeast-one-hybrid screens will be performed with the enhancer elements to screen for upstream trans-regulators. Finally, the identified regulatory proteins will be characterized for their function in Arabidopsis over-expressor, silencer and knock-out lines. Special attention will be given to the impact of chloroplast development, photosynthesis and chloroplast-nucleus coordination.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants