Water stress response inheritance in a monocot species with C4 photosynthesis: genetic and epigenetic mechanisms and the role of transposable elements

• Grant number: 15/16975-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: December 01, 2015
• End date: November 30, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Plant Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Nathalia de Setta Costa
• Grantee: Nathalia de Setta Costa
• Host Institution: Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas (CCNH). Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC). Ministério da Educação (Brasil). Santo André , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Danilo da Cruz Centeno ; Eduardo Leite Borba ; Marcos Silveira Buckeridge ; Maria Magdalena Rossi

Abstract

Evolution and Physiology have developed as separate disciplines, which resulted in a hypothesis that both could be studied in dissociated paths only. In this project, we propose to investigate a classic problem in plant physiology with an evolutionary perspective to find answers about the mechanisms underlying the inheritance of phenotypic plasticity. As transposable elements have been repeatedly associated with the generation of genetic and epigenetics variability in plants, the goal of this project is to evaluate the role of these sequences in the generation and inheritance of plastic responses to water stress in monocots C4. We propose to use Setaria italica as model species due to ease of cultivation and the availability of a sequenced genome. Plants will be grown under severe, moderate and null water stress regimes. Then, seeds of plants cultivated in moderate stress will be grown under severe, moderate and null stresses. These plants will be compared regarding survival and reproduction, by fitness characters evaluation, and leaves and seeds samples will be analyzed by metabolic and gene expression (mRNA, sRNAs and qPCR) profiles. In addition to assessing whether transposable elements play a role in epigenetic regulation of drought tolerance, the data obtained will allow to identify genes and metabolic pathways regulating phenotypic plasticity in S. italica. (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)

SUGUIYAMA, VANESSA FUENTES; BACIEGA VASCONCELOS, LUIZ AUGUSTO; ROSSI, MARIA MAGDALENA; BIONDO, CIBELE; DE SETTA, NATHALIA. The population genetic structure approach adds new insights into the evolution of plant LTR retrotransposon lineages. PLoS One, v. 14, n. 5, MAY 20 2019. (15/16975-6)

SUGUIYAMA, VANESSA FUENTES; PAREDES RODRIGUEZ, JAE DIANA; NICOMEDIO DOS SANTOS, TATIANE CRISTINA; LIRA, BRUNO SILVESTRE; DE HARO, LUIS ALEJANDRO; NALDI SILVA, JOAO PAULO; BORBA, EDUARDO LEITE; PURGATTO, EDUARDO; DA SILVA, EMERSON ALVES; BELLORA, NICOLAS; et al. Regulatory mechanisms behind the phenotypic plasticity associated with Setaria italica water deficit tolerance. Plant Molecular Biology, v. N/A, p. 20-pg., 2022-05-07. (12/23838-7, 15/16975-6)