Dormancy Cycling: From Signals to Developmental Transitions, 2014

The dataset "Dormancy cycling: from signals to developmental transitions, 2014" is a follow-up of the RCN-funded FRIMOLBIOL-project "ClimaDorm, 2006-2008".
Dormancy cycling is an adaptive strategy that is vital to the survival of perennials. Our knowledge of this phenomenon is still very restricted, and the aim of the proposed research is to increase the insight into the underlying fundamental processes. As dormancy is a property of the growing point we need to understand how it functions during both activity and dormancy. We aim to identify the molecular and cellular determinants of the active and the dormant state and how the environment brings about transitions. The major focus is on the distinct roles the rib meristem (RM) and the shoot apical meristem (SAM) play in perceiving photoperiodic signals. End-of season growth cessation requires the downregulation of the gene CENL1 in the RM and rib zone (RZ), as we showed previously (Plant Cell, 2008). CENL1 expression and potential movement of CENL1 protein will be localized during the dormancy cycle by traditional and transgenic approaches, and related to expression of the PtWUS gene and symplasmic boundaries in the growing point. During dormancy cell-cell communication via plasmodesmata (PD) and cell walls is suspended, and regrowth requires reconstitution of these communication paths. Reconstitution is likely to be mediated by lipid bodies (LB), formed during dormancy induction, which carry oleosins and 1,3-beta-D-glucanases (GLU) to the cell membrane during chilling. This hypothesis will be tested with transgenic approaches that address LB-PD interactions, and target PD with GLU fused to a PD-specific TM D. PI and senior researcher have ample experience in meristem and dormancy work and it is expected that the proposed work will substantially contribute to the basic understanding of dormancy cycling, and to the potential deregulating effects climate change will have.

Data is presented in various published articles.