Characterisation of Molecular Players in Monocot Vein Patterning

The plant vascular system is an essential network of transport channels that provide the plant with water, nutrients, and mechanical support. The leaf vein network represents a key part of this vascular system. Plants that use a specific form of photosynthesis known as C4 photosynthesis have a characteristic vein network with closer spaced veins than those found in C3 species. As part of an international effort to engineer C4 photosynthesis into the C3 crop rice, this project aims to characterise several putative vein patterning regulators. For this, a complex predicted to be involved in the earliest stages of vein patterning will be identified by screening for interactions to a putative regulator and characterised by generation of mutant plants. Furthermore, molecular evidence will be provided to test the hypothesis that a well-characterised Arabidopsis thaliana pathway is conserved in the leaf vein patterning of C4 species. The results will contribute to the development of a molecular mechanism for vein patterning in grass leaves, which will directly inform efforts to
engineer C4 rice.

BBSRC Priority Areas
The proposed research directly contributes to international efforts to engineer C4 photosynthesis into the C3 crop rice as part of the C4 Rice Project. The aim of the C4 Rice Project is to develop high yield rice varieties by improving
hotosynthesis, nitrogen use efficiency and water use efficiency.
The proposed research therefore addresses global food security concerns by providing a sustainable way to enhance rice crop productivity.