: Investigating the relationship between SCL26 and strigolactone expression, and its consequent role in plant root architecture in Arabidopsis thalian

In Medicago truncatula, NODULATION SIGNALING PATHWAY 2 (NSP2) is a GRAS-family transcription factor which is necessary for nodulation; NSP2 binds DNA, inducing expression of early nodulation genes. NSP2 is also involved in strigolactone biosynthesis. Arabidopsis thaliana, a non-nodulating plant, has a gene orthologous to NSP2 - SCARECROW LIKE PROTEIN 26 (SCL26) which is as-of-yet largely uninvestigated; it has no known function or particular phenotype. Through finding a suitable scl26 mutants, we will be able to explore the role of SCL26 on the overall phenotype of the plant. It is known that its expression levels are highest in anthers and root cambium, so these areas will be focussed on.
As NSP2 is a transcription factor, it seems likely that SCL26 will also have a role as a transcription factor in A. thaliana. To study this, various proteomic techniquies will be employed, such as inducible silencing and complementation of mutants. We plan to also explore binding site motifs via ChIP-seq, and study DNA binding in vitro.
It is hoped that through research into the function of SCL26, we will get further in our understanding of nodulation, and why some plants can nodulate whereas others do not.