Trehalose signalling for crop improvement

Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.

Trehalose 6-phosphate (T6P) is a signalling molecule with strong effects on metabolism, growth and development. We have recently discovered the mechanistic basis for this effect. T6P, the precursor of trehalose, is a strong inhibitor of SnRK1 (Snf1-related protein kinase) in growing tissues (Zhang et al. 2009). Using Arabidopsis seedlings as a model system we have shown that T6P up regulates genes involved in the biosynthesis of end-products and processes involved in growth (anabolism) and down regulates genes associated with catabolism. It is proposed that the trehalose pathway has been recruited in plants to regulate the conserved and constitutive SnRK1 in response to carbon supply regulating feast/ famine responses. Particularly strongly affected by T6P are genes encoding enzymes involved in the use of UDPG. Evidence suggests that being made from UDPG and G6P, T6P signals the supply and availability of these core metabolites and activates downstream biosynthetic processes that use them. This gives the opportunity through modification of T6P synthesis/ breakdown to promote biosynthetic processes in specific tissues to modify growth and yield of crops. Goals are to gain further basic understanding in Arabidopsis to make it possible to elevate T6P in crops sinks to promote biosynthetic processes and to alter T6P content in leaves of crops to enhance stress tolerance and photosynthesis. This will enable in the longer term to link work to the strategic aim of the centres by transferring fundamental knowledge of the mechanism in Arabidopsis to improve crop growth and biomass, stress tolerance and yield through selection and genetic modification.

unavailable