How do molecular networks control seed development? CRISPit - Bridging fundamental knowledge and novel technology to increase rice heat tolerance

Title: How do molecular networks control seed development? CRISPit - Bridging fundamental knowledge and novel technology to increase rice heat tolerance

Speaker: Sílvia Coimbra

Affiliation: Universidade do Porto

Abstract: Sexual plant reproduction is fundamental for seed production and development in angiosperms, a complex mechanism involving a series of signaling pathways with numerous molecular players. Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are hydroxyproline-rich proteins containing a high proportion of carbohydrates, widely distributed in the plant kingdom and ubiquitously present in land plants. These glycoproteins have long been suggested to play important roles in sexual plant reproduction. Seeds are the link between the end of the reproductive cycle of adult plants and the establishment of their next generation. Seeds are the means through which plants can adapt to climatic changes. Feeding the ever-growing population is a major challenge, especially in light of rapidly changing climate conditions. Genome editing is set to transform plant breeding and help secure the global food supply. Advances in genome editing technologies provide new opportunities for crop improvement by employing precision genome engineering for targeted crop traits. Our project addresses critical stages of the reproductive development, integrating several approaches to comprehensively investigate sexual reproduction in Rice under heat stress (HS) conditions with the aim of using the novel knowledge generated to improve rice production. The model plant system Arabidopsis thaliana will be used as proof of concept, to generate quick knowledge that can be readily translated into concrete outcomes in rice, specie of high importance to the European agricultural sector. CRISPit main goal is to understand the mechanisms that regulate heat stress tolerance during the reproductive process in rice. CRISPit proposes to obtain and fully characterize mutants from chosen genes in order to deliver rice HS lines produced by CRISPR technology.