Network and integrative data analysis of gene expression and metabolite data from Arabidopsis thaliana heterosis experiments

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Joachim Selbig
• Subject Area: Plant Breeding and Plant Pathology
• Term: from 2007 to 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 46055905

The objective of the proposed project is a bioinformatics contribution to the elucidation of foundations of heterosis on the level of gene regulatory and metabolic networks in the plant model Arabidopsis thaliana. Data analysis of the data measured in the ongoing period will become a major focus of the project and therefore requires significantly increased efforts. Consequently, the core objective of this proposal is the integrative analysis as well as systems biological interpretation of data obtained from various levels by our partners in the SPP, particularly gene expression, metabolite and physiological data. There will be a methodological exchange with two AGs, who work on a complementary approach on maize. Extending our previous contribution, we will now start investigating the relation between molecular and physiological data by multivariate linear and nonlinear approaches in the specific context of heterosis. Moreover, gene expression, metabolic and mapping data will be integrated to detect candidate genes causing heterosis. As a second major focus, it will be investigated, whether the heterotic effects can be related to the topology of gene regulatory and metabolic networks, such that higher adaptability in heterozygotes could be explained by specific structures of the underlying molecular regulatory networks.

• DFG Programme: Priority Programmes
• Subproject of: SPP 1149: Heterosis in Plants
• Participating Persons: Dr. Dirk Repsilber; Dr. Matthias Steinfath