Regulatory Roles for Stress Responsive Transposable Elements in Rice

Le résumé fourni par la source

Transposable elements, or mobile DNA sequences, are known for their structural and functional roles in the rice genome. As sources of genetic variation and drivers of evolution, transposable elements have been extensively studied for their regulation of gene expression and alteration of phenotypic traits. In addition, transposable elements are shown to be activated in response to various biotic and abiotic stresses. As the global temperature rises, heat stress threatens crop production worldwide. Research has shown that heat stress hinders optimal rice growth, development, and yield. Concern for food security amidst a growing population calls for development of novel methods to study regulation of gene expression in response to heat stress. The stress-induced activity of transposable elements can possibly serve as a contributor to heat stress adaptation in rice by modifying the expression of genes. Two rice varieties, Cypress and LaGrue, are known to perform well and poorly, respectively, under high night temperatures (HNT) based on their ability to withstand heat stress during growth and development. Using these two contrasting genotypes and their varied response to HNT conditions in terms of differentially expressed genes and transposable elements, we will explore the role of stress-induced transposable elements in regulating gene expression under heat stress. This information will be fed into Machine Learning algorithms to create predictive models of genes that can be used to manipulate rice plants to withstand high night temperatures resulting in improved grain quality and yield.

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