Thesis supervisor: Gábor Galiba
co-supervisor: Péter Gábor Borbély
Location of studies (in Hungarian): MATE Institute of Agronomy, Keszthely Abbreviation of location of studies: GC
Description of the research topic:
Increasing frequency of weather extremities represents a risk of frost damage of crops, thus, understanding the relevant defensive gene regulatory systems is crucial. It was discovered recently, that special light conditions (e.g. low red:far-red ratio) enhance cold acclimation and freezing tolerance of plants. After the sensing of light or cold by plant cells, these signals are transduced to certain gene regulatory networks controlled by key transcription factors. Experiments on the non-crop model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, showed that HY5 (ELONGATED HYPOCOTIL 5) and PIFs (PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR) are the amongst the most important transcription factors integrating light and temperature signalling, but it has been also shown in rice and maize, that their function could differ between Arabidopsis and crops. However, the effect of light quality on cold acclimation in barley and the underlying molecular mechanisms were not elucidated in detail yet.
Because the genes and protein functions of HY5 and PIFs are completely unknown in barley, this project aims to characterise the function of HY5 and PIF genes to determine its role in light quality-dependent cold acclimation.
During the implementation of this project, the effect of different light-environment on the freezing-tolerance of barley will be investigated. We will also monitor the expression pattern of the most important light signalling genes. Furthermore, we will examine the effect of HvHY5 expressed in Arabidopsis hy5 mutant on light quality-dependent cold acclimation processes. The above-mentioned effects will be studied by applying up-to-date physiological and molecular biology methods.
Our results could serve a good basis for the further investigation of light signalling and light quality-dependency of tolerance mechanisms to cold and other stresses. Moreover, the application of our results in molecular based plant breeding could enhance the economic benefits of this project.
Agricultural Institute has a large Phytotron with high quality plant growth chambers (Conviron, Canada), in Martonvásár. All the growth chambers will be used in this research project are equipped with modern light ceilings constructed from controllable LED lights, by which all the desired spectral compositions could be achieved for the implementation of the experiment. The laboratories are equipped for physiological and molecular genetic experiments with adequate instruments.
Number of students who can be accepted: 1
Deadline for application: 2024-05-31
2024. IV. 17. ODT ülés Az ODT következő ülésére 2024. június 14-én, pénteken 10.00 órakor kerül sor a Semmelweis Egyetem Szenátusi termében (Bp. Üllői út 26. I. emelet).
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