Objective The work outlined in this proposal will identify how processes at a range of different organizational levels (from genes to cellular events) contribute to salt tolerance of plants and whether their manipulation in transgenic plants can improve salinity tolerance. The project will use a number of different approaches to investigate the mechanisms and pathways that contribute to the tolerance of specific ion stresses when plants are grown in saline conditions, particularly processes involved in the regulation of cellular ionic composition. The hypothesis underlying the proposal is that regulation of cellular, particularly cytosolic, ion concentrations is central to salt tolerance and that this is regulation is achieved by modification of ion transport at the plasma membrane through changes in both the complement of transporters (gene expression) and their activity (biochemical regulation). The role of signal transduction and other regulatory pathways (phosphorylation/dephosphorylation) is a major focus both because our knowledge of how transport is regulated is rudimentary and because some Na'-sensitive enzymes may modulate inositol-based signalling pathways. The specific objectives are: 1. To understand the regulation of cytosolic and vacuolar ion concentrations in plants exposed to salinity, and to identify and characterise the membrane transport processes involved 2. To determine the effect of salinity on the regulation of ion transport, including changes in gene expression, biochemical modification of transporters, and regulation by small molecules or proteins 3. To study and elucidate the role of signal transduction pathways in salinity responses in plants, with particular emphasis on pathways already shown to be important in salinity responses of the yeast 4. To identify additional genes with a role in salt tolerance The information gained is expected to provide strong indications of the key processes that need to be manipulated to improve the salinity tolerance of plants and some of the genes produced should be useful both in marker-assisted breeding and direct genetic manipulation of crops for improve salt tolerance. Fields of science medical and health sciencesmedical biotechnologygenetic engineeringagricultural sciencesagriculture, forestry, and fisheriesagriculturenatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes Programme(s) FP4-BIOTECH 2 - Specific research, technological development and demonstration programme in the field of biotechnology, 1994-1998 Topic(s) 030103 - Resistance to stress and pathogens Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator ROTHAMSTED RESEARCH LIMITED Address West common AL5 2JQ Harpenden, herts United Kingdom See on map EU contribution € 0,00 Participants (8) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 2,place pierre viala 34060 Montpellier See on map Lund University Sweden EU contribution € 0,00 Address 221 00 Lund See on map Rhône-Poulenc Agrochimie SA France EU contribution € 0,00 Address 14-20 rue pierre baizet 69009 Lyon See on map THE ROYAL VETERINARY AND AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY Denmark EU contribution € 0,00 Address Thorvaldsensvej 40 1870 Frederisksberg See on map UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE VALENCIA Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address Camino de vera s/n Valencia See on map Links Website Opens in new window UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN Belgium EU contribution € 0,00 Address 2/20,place croix du sud 2/20 1348 Louvain-la-neuve See on map UNIVERSITY OF YORK United Kingdom EU contribution € 0,00 Address Heslington York See on map Links Website Opens in new window Universidad Politécnica de Madrid Spain EU contribution € 0,00 Address S/n,ciudad universitaria 28040 Madrid See on map
