Project Details
Description
Maize kernels are a global source of food, feed, biofuel, starches/sugars, and ingredients in many food products. The endosperm of the maize kernel is a primary reservoir of nutrients. It is composed of several functionally unique cell layers that support kernel development. This project investigates molecular and physiological processes of development in one such layer, the basal endosperm transfer cells (BETCs). In particular, experiments will characterize the role of tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle metabolites, as well as their byproducts, as important determinants of chromatin structure and gene expression. Packaging into euchromatin (open chromatin) often leads to increased gene expression, whereas packaging into heterochromatin (closed chromatin) is generally a marker of gene silencing, and the direct role for metabolites in regulating this packaging is a novel finding. The project will also organize Corn Summer Internships in Gene Silencing (CornSInGS) for hands-on laboratory and field exercises for local high school students to learn the inheritance of crop traits. Plant phenotypes will be used to demonstrate gene silencing switches. This project will also collaborate with faculty and undergraduates from Virginia State University for undergraduate summer internships overlapping with the CornSInGS workshop. Findings will provide knowledge of the biological processes in the nucleus that are required for the development of endosperm and a healthy maize kernel. Basal endosperm transfer cells lie at the interface of phloem termini connecting the source of photosynthates (leaves) with the storage cells (sink) of starchy endosperm. At the heart of early kernel developmental events are cellular processes, including DNA replication, transcription, and RNA splicing. Mis-regulation of any of these basic processes causes defects in cell differentiation, growth, and development. Maize ufo1 (Zmufo1; unstable factor for orange1) mutants have BETC defects that were found to be associated with aberrant expression of TCA cycle genes, metabolites, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and basic regulatory processes. Zmufo1 mutants therefore provide a varied set of kernel defects and plant phenotypes to help characterize cellular differentiation. This proposal will characterize metabolic and epigenetic regulatory events that are required to maintain cellular homeostasis during early basal endosperm development. Specific aims are: 1. Characterize redox-dependent, spatiotemporal chromatin remodeling during BETC differentiation as modulated by Zmufo1. 2. Characterize ZmUFO1-associated, protein-protein interactions. 3. Confirm functionality of the predicted ASF1-histone chaperone domain of ZmUFO1. The knowledge gained from this project can be applied to understand the development of other specialized cells supporting the embryo and endosperm of other cereal grains of economic importance.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.
Status | Active |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 2/15/24 → 1/31/27 |
Funding
- National Science Foundation: $974,891.00
Fingerprint
Explore the research topics touched on by this project. These labels are generated based on the underlying awards/grants. Together they form a unique fingerprint.