Functional validation of sncRNA networks which regulate the response to stress in melons

As consequence of the exposition to stress-inductors plants trigger a complex regulatory response that results in adaptation to adverse conditions. In general, these environmental conditions are the major limiting factors for development and productivity in agricultural species. Consequently, the molecular basis of the mechanisms that regulate the response to stress has been extensively studied. Current and predicted environmental conditions altered as consequence of climate change, pose a serious challenge for extensive agricultural production in the near future. Conditioned by this new scenario has been a need to implement innovative strategies to attempts understand the mechanisms that are triggered in the plant exposed to multiple stresses. However, commonly, these approaches are not focused in the changes produced at the level of non-coding RNAs, although increasingly evidence suggests to them a major role in biological plant-processes. Recently we have identified and characterized small ncRNAs (sncRNAs) that exhibit differential expression associated to diverse (biotic and/or abiotic) stress conditions. Based in these evidences was computationally inferred a sncRNAs-mediated network that predicted to regulates the stress-response in melon plants. According our functional model this regulatory-network is constituted by specific sncRNAs (stress-receptors) that by means of intermediate sncRNAs spread stress-induced signal to the sncRNAs-core responsible to regulate the global response to stress. Based in these evidences we enunciate as general objective of our proposal characterize and functionally validate the regulatory pathways mediated by sncRNAs involved in stress-response in cucurbits. We expect use this knowledge as enhancer to develop biotechnological tools that will enhance the tolerance of crops to stress multiple.

Description

Title: Functional validation of sncRNA networks which regulate the response to stress in melons. Analysis of their potential as a source of tolerance to adverse environmental conditions.

Research Group: Non-coding RNA-mediated regulatory networks

As consequence of the exposition to stress-inductors plants trigger a complex regulatory response that results in adaptation to adverse conditions. In general, these environmental conditions are the major limiting factors for development and productivity in agricultural species. Consequently, the molecular basis of the mechanisms that regulate the response to stress has been extensively studied. Current and predicted environmental conditions altered as consequence of climate change, pose a serious challenge for extensive agricultural production in the near future. Conditioned by this new scenario has been a need to implement innovative strategies to attempts understand the mechanisms that are triggered in the plant exposed to multiple stresses. However, commonly, these approaches are not focused in the changes produced at the level of non-coding RNAs, although increasingly evidence suggests to them a major role in biological plant-processes. Recently we have identified and characterized small ncRNAs (sncRNAs) that exhibit differential expression associated to diverse (biotic and/or abiotic) stress conditions. Based in these evidences was computationally inferred a sncRNAs-mediated network that predicted to regulates the stress-response in melon plants. According our functional model this regulatory-network is constituted by specific sncRNAs (stress-receptors) that by means of intermediate sncRNAs spread stress-induced signal to the sncRNAs-core responsible to regulate the global response to stress. Based in these evidences we enunciate as general objective of our proposal characterize and functionally validate the regulatory pathways mediated by sncRNAs involved in stress-response in cucurbits. We expect use this knowledge as enhancer to develop biotechnological tools that will enhance the tolerance of crops to stress multiple.

Ref. AGL2016-79825-R

Non-UV principal researchers

Gustavo Gómez

Non-UV participating researchers

Maria Carmen Marquez
Joan Marques-Molins
Alejandro Sanz-Carbonell
Luis Cervera-Seco

Start date

2016 December

End date

2019 December

Funding agencies:

Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO) - Programa Estatal Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación Orientada a los Retos de la Sociedad