The eco-physiology of PHOT1/phot1[delta]PKD, insights into a phototropically enhanced mutant.
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[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT REQUEST OF AUTHOR.] The phototropin class of blue light photoreceptors in Arabidopsis is critical to how plants response to light cues. Here, I study how the photo-perception process occurs and the role phototropins play in overall plant adaptation. Utilizing a gain-of-function mutant, PHOT1/phot1[superscript delta PKD], that exhibits a hyper-phototropic response, I verify the hyper-phototropic phenotype of PHOT1/phot1[superscript delta PKD]] is due to the presence phot1 and a truncated variant, called PHOT1/phot1[superscript delta PKD]. Pulse induced phototropism was normal in the PHOT1/phot1[superscript delta PKD] transgenic plants; thus, the hyper-phototropic phenotype of PHOT1/phot1[superscript delta PKD] is not due to an enhancement in sensory capabilities of the protein. In an applied context, I expand the current understanding of how phot1 plays a role in plant adaptation by evaluating the performance of PHOT1/phot1[superscript delta PKD] plants in field and greenhouse studies. My work suggests that enhancing phot1 function, as in PHOT1/phot1[superscript delta PKD], plant adaption is improved. Specifically, PHOT1/phot1[superscript delta PKD] plants were shown to have a higher rate of survivorship in the field, earlier bolting time under spring day-lengths, enhanced seed set in the greenhouse setting, and enhanced dry weight as compared to wild-type in the greenhouse.
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