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Award Abstract #0723493
Arabidopsis 2010: Constructing and Analyzing a Model Gene Regulatory Network
| NSF Org: |
IOS
Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
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| Initial Amendment Date: |
December 11, 2007 |
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| Latest Amendment Date: |
April 9, 2009 |
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| Award Number: |
0723493 |
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| Award Instrument: |
Continuing grant |
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| Program Manager: |
Thomas P. Jack
IOS Division of Integrative Organismal Systems
BIO Directorate for Biological Sciences
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| Start Date: |
January 15, 2008 |
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| Expires: |
December 31, 2011 (Estimated) |
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| Awarded Amount to Date: |
$1343739 |
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| Investigator(s): |
John Schiefelbein schiefel@umich.edu (Principal Investigator)
Peter Woolf (Co-Principal Investigator)
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| Sponsor: |
University of Michigan Ann Arbor
3003 South State St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109 734/764-1817
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| NSF Program(s): |
THE 2010 PROJECT,
PLANT FUNGAL & MICROB DEV MECH
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| Field Application(s): |
0000099 Other Applications NEC
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| Program Reference Code(s): |
BIOT, 9183, 9179, 9178, 1684, 1118
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| Program Element Code(s): |
1684, 1118
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ABSTRACT
Biological processes are controlled by sets of complex and interrelated regulatory events that determine when and where individual genes are able to act. A current challenge in biology is to organize genes into networks that accurately depict their regulatory relationships. In this project, a systems-based approach is being used to construct and analyze a relatively simple gene network that controls root epidermal cell differentiation in Arabidopsis. A cell-specific transcript profiling method has been used to define a set of root epidermis genes, and these are being assembled into a probabilistic network by systematically perturbing specific genes (nodes) and defining independence relationships from gene expression data using Bayesian network analysis. This network will be refined and tested by resolving uncertain parts of the network and by probing specific relationships using molecular, genetic, and biochemical experiments. The project is expected to provide new computational and experimental tools for gene network construction in Arabidopsis and to uncover fundamental features of plant gene network structure and circuitry. These data and biological resources will be accessible from the Arabidopsis Biological Resource Center, The Arabidopsis Information Resource (TAIR), and the Gene Expression Omnibus.
Broader Impacts: The research will provide an unusually rich interdisciplinary training experience for undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows, and it will contribute to a summer research program for high school students. The project research will be incorporated into a case-study based biotechnology course for undergraduate and graduate students. In the long term, this project is expected to improve our understanding of plant gene regulatory mechanisms and enable the rational design of biological and synthetic networks for plant improvement.
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH
Dinneny, J.R., Long, T.A., Wang, J.Y., Mace, D., Pointer, S., Barron, C., Brady, S.M., Schiefelbein, J., and Benfey, P.N.. "Cell identity mediates the response of Arabidopsis roots to abiotic stress.," Science, v.320, 2008, p. 942.
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