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The molecular basis of quantitative variation in photoperiod response

Reference	BBS/E/J/000CA341
Principal Investigator / Supervisor	Dr David Laurie
Co-Investigators / Co-Supervisors
Institution	John Innes Centre
Department	John Innes Centre Department
Funding type	Research
Value (£)	205,212
Status	Completed
Type	Institute Project
Start date	01/09/2008
End date	31/08/2011
Duration	36 months

Abstract

Variation in photoperiod response is widespread in wheat and contributes significantly to adaptation and productivity. Early flowering (photoperiod insensitive) types predominate in environments with hotter, drier summers. These conditions are predicted to become prevalent in Northern Europe by climate change models, making it important to understand how photoperiod response can be manipulated. The major photoperiod (Ppd) loci in barley and wheat lie in colinear positions on the group 2 chromosomes, suggesting they are homologous genes. Using the previously cloned barley gene (a member of the pseudo-response regulator family) we isolated the wheat genes. Photoperiod insensitive mutants on 2A and 2D had upstream deletions. Tests of the 2D allele showed altered PRR gene expression and activation of the key floral regulator FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) in short or long days. We will use novel single, double and triple combinations of gain and loss of function Ppd alleles to understand their interaction, the coordination of expression from different wheat genomes and the basis of quantitative variation in flowering time provided by different Ppd combinations. We will quantify the expression of the Ppd genes in relation to known components of the photoperiod pathway, including FT, originally identified in Arabidopsis. The results will be important for understanding flowering and will be of general significance for understanding how wheat and other polyploids integrate their different genomes to control development. We will identify the mutation causing photoperiod insensitivity on 2B, which must have a novel mechanism. We will also test hypotheses about gene function using transgenic barley plants, using this genetically simple system and the presence of a loss of function ppd-H1 mutation in the readily transformable variety 'Golden Promise'. We will make synthetic deletions matching those in wheat and test smaller regions to establish key regions affecting flowering time.

Summary

unavailable

Committee	Closed Committee - Plant & Microbial Sciences (PMS)
Research Topics	Crop Science, Plant Science
Research Priority	X – Research Priority information not available
Research Initiative	X - not in an Initiative
Funding Scheme	X – not Funded via a specific Funding Scheme

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