Plant epitranscriptomic

In analogy to epigenetics, which studies the control of gene activity regardless of the DNA sequence, epitranscriptomics deals with chemical modifications of mRNA that control the behaviour of the transcriptome but do not involve changes in the RNA sequence. Among all internal modifications of messenger RNA, the methylation of adenosine to produce N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most biologically important and best studied, as it controls multiple aspects of plant biology that are key for agriculture. These include fruit morphogenesis, seed development, plant adaptation to abiotic stresses such as drought and heat, and defence against pathogens. The activities of the group revolve around understanding: 1) How gene expression in plants is regulated through the effectors of the m6A pathway, the so-called ‘m6A readers’, and in particular how do they control the switch between growth and dormancy of the axillary meristems that give rise to branches. 2) How to obtain more produc