PRE2023-UNVEILING THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS GOVERNING THE FUNCTION OF ARABIDOPSIS U6 snRNAs IN SPLICEOSOME SPECIFICITY AND PLANT TOLERANCE TO ABIOTIC STRESS (PID2022-137797NB-I00)

In this multidisciplinary and integrative Ph.D. project, we propose to identify and characterize new central mechanisms governing plant responses and tolerance to abiotic stresses. In particular, based on our preliminary results suggesting that the Arabidopsis U6 snRNAs differentially regulate plant tolerance to abiotic stresses by controlling the accurate splicing of selected pre-mRNAs, we envisage a thesis project aimed at the characterization of three U6 snRNAs and dissect the molecular mechanisms whereby they execute their function to ensure plant adaptation. We predict that the results generated will have a high scientific and technical impact. Indeed, they will provide insights into understanding how the U6 snRNAs differentially control plant responses and tolerance to abiotic stresses by modulating the activity of the spliceosome and, consequently, by shaping the splicing patterns under these conditions. This would constitute a new layer of regulation of plant responses to abiotic stresses. Moreover, it would also change the paradigm in the current conception of the molecular mechanisms governing the spliceosome activity in eukaryotes. Finally, the wide range of experimental approaches required to achieving the proposed working plan, from very basic standard genetic and molecular biology techniques to cutting-edge technologies, will provide the student with a very complete methodological training.