Molecular genetic analysis of iron uptake regulation in plants

• Applicant: Professorin Dr. Petra Bauer
• Subject Area: Plant Genetics and Genomics
• Term: from 2006 to 2010
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 33238349

Plants acquire iron through mobilisation in the soil. Iron uptake by plant roots is an important process for humans. The main source of iron in human diet was originally taken up by plants, and it is a breeding goal to generate crops with improved micronutrient content. For this goal it will be important to understand and potentially manipulate acquisition of iron by plant roots. Recently, the molecular signalling of nutrient uptake regulation came into focus. The aim of our work is to dissect the regulatory mechanisms that control iron mobilisation and iron acquisition and to identify the signals and signalling molecules involved in iron regulation. Our work concentrates on the transcription factor FRU (= FER-like regulator of iron uptake, At2g28160) from Arabidopsis. We have shown that FRU function is essential and conserved across dicotyledonous species. FRU is regulated by iron at transcriptional and post-transcriptional level. The aim of this proposal is to identify and study novel factors for iron regulation that act in the FRU pathway. Towards this goal we will identify factors that affect FRU promoter activity and FRU protein localization and stability in response to iron supply. We will investigate protein complexity in roots and identify proteins dependent on FRU and iron supply. We will study the impact of FRU on transcriptional and post-transcriptional control. We will identify proteins acting in the FRU pathway through in vivo and in vitro protein interaction studies. We will study the interaction network between FRU and genes required for metal homeostasis and root development. The function of tissue-specific FRU expression in the root will be investigated. The newly identified proteins acting in conjunction with FRU will be submitted to a functional analysis to study the importance of these factors in iron regulation.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants