The importance of the SCI1 gene in the floral meristem, its transcriptional regulation and evolutionary conservation

• Grant number: 19/24774-1
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants
• Duration: October 01, 2020 - September 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Molecular Genetics and Genetics of Microorganisms
• Principal Investigator: Maria Helena de Souza Goldman
• Grantee: Maria Helena de Souza Goldman
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil
• Pesquisadores principais: Adriana Pinheiro Martinelli
• Associated researchers: Ana Paula Ulian de Araujo ; Cristiane Paula Gomes Calixto ; Fabio Tebaldi Silveira Nogueira ; Lázaro Eustaquio Pereira Peres ; Luiz Eduardo Vieira Del Bem
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/05401-2 - Study of the RNA helicase DEAD-box NtDDX35 function, BP.PD

Abstract

We have recently demonstrated that the SCI1 gene is expressed in floral meristem cells since its specification and mainly in proliferative cells. These results were obtained by in situ hybridization and by analysis of SCI1prom::SCI1-GFP transgenic plants. Thus, this gene was renamed fSCI1 (floral Stem Cell-cycle Inhibitor 1). We also showed that the AGAMOUS transcription factor binds to the SCI1 gene promoter in Y1H experiments, while bioinformatics analyzes additionally suggest the binding of WUSCHEL and AINTEGUMENTA-Like 6 (AIL6) in the SCI1 genomic sequence. These results led us to ask about the importance of the SCI1 gene in the floral meristem and its transcriptional regulation. Moreover, we need to deepen our study of how SCI1 acts at the molecular level to regulate cell proliferation, and try to understand the origin and evolution of this protein. Therefore, the objectives of this project are: 1) To verify if the SCI1 gene is target of the transcription factors AG, WUS and AIL6; 2) Identify transcription factors that bind to the genomic sequence of SCI1; 3) Test the hypothesis that SCI1 and/or its interaction partner, NtDDX35, a DEAD-box RNA helicase, directly bind to RNA; 4) Identify NtDDX35 interaction partner proteins; 5) Produce and analyze transgenic NtDDX35 overexpression and silencing plants, including knock-out plants by CRISPR; 6) To produce tomato plants with the SCI1 gene silenced by RNAi and knocked out by CRISPR, and to analyze the floral meristem development in these plants; 7) Study the evolution of the SCI1 gene; and 8) Analyze whether the putative SCI1 homolog in Aspergillus nidulans affects cell proliferation in this fungus. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

CRUZ, JOELMA O.; SAN MARTIN, JUCA A. B.; LUBINI, GREICE; STRINI, EDWARD J.; SOBRAL, ROMULO; PINOTI, VITOR F.; FERREIRA, PEDRO B.; THOME, VANESSA; QUIAPIM, ANDREA C.; DORNELAS, MARCELO C.; et al. SCI1 Is a Direct Target of AGAMOUS and WUSCHEL and Is Specifically Expressed in the Floral Meristematic Cells. FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE, v. 12, MAR 18 2021. (19/24774-1, 16/20486-3)