Characterization of genes of unknown function involved in drought response in Arabidopsis thaliana: potential targets for the development of biotechnological assets

Abstract

Examples of extreme weather events with drastic consequences on agricultural productivity in major grain producing countries have been observed in recent decades. Future climate scenarios indicate an increase in intensity, frequency and duration of heat waves, droughts, heavy precipitation, and flood events. In order to minimize the effects of global climate change on agriculture, it is essential that plant genetic and biotechnology groups continuously develop varieties that are better adapted to the resulting stresses. Genes of unknown function, especially those that are coexpressed with genes known to regulate stress responses, are an important source of biotechnological innovation for the development of new agricultural cultivars. This postdoctoral fellowship project aims to decipher the function of Arabidopsis thaliana genes for which there is no functional characterization, in response to drought stress. The project involves the cultivation of both mutants and plants overexpressing genes of unknown function under drought conditions, the physiological characterization of the plants response, as well as the analysis of molecular and metabolite alterations (transcriptome and metabolome) during the drought stress. (AU)