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SUMMARY:Pol IV in Tomato - Amy Beeken
DTSTART:20110506T120000Z
DTEND:20110506T123000Z
UID:TALK30678@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Suzy Stoodley
DESCRIPTION:Pol IV is a plant specific nuclear RNA polymerase which shares
  homology with Pol II\, the DNA dependent RNA polymerase responsible for t
 ranscribing most genes including miRNAs. It is non-essential for viability
  in Arabidopsis and maize and functions in small RNA mediated gene silenci
 ng by transcribing DNA associated RNA required for small RNA production. T
 he downstream processing involves RDR2\, DCL3 and AGO4 to produce Pol IV d
 ependent 24nt siRNAs (p4-siRNAs).  P4-siRNAs are the most abundant form of
  siRNAs\, deriving from and targeting silencing of transposable elements\,
  transgenes\, intergenic regions and heterochromatin indicating a role for
  Pol IV in genome defence.  In Arabidopsis endosperm p4-siRNAs are unipare
 ntally expressed from the maternal genome\, indicating additional roles fo
 r Pol IV in genomic parental conflict following fertilisation. \n\nIn Arab
 idopsis the Pol IV largest subunit (nrpd1a) mutant shows no morphological 
 abnormalities\, whereas the corresponding mutation in maize displays a sex
  determination phenotype and indicates a role for maize Pol IV in paramuta
 tion. Since tomato (Solanum lycopersicon) has a larger genome with more he
 terochromatic regions than Arabidopsis\, it can be predicted that a tomato
  nrpd1a mutant will have a more striking phenotype.  High throughput TILLI
 NG technology has allowed nrpd1a mutant identification and amiRNA plants t
 argeting RDR2 and AGO4 have been developed. Analysis of these plants will 
 help to elucidate the role of Pol IV and p4-siRNAs in Solanum lycopersicon
 .  
LOCATION:Department of Plant Sciences\, Large Lecture Theatre
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