Project properties
Title The role of Pumilio proteins during seed germination
Group Plant Physiology, Laboratory of
Project type thesis
Credits 24-39
Supervisor(s) Annika Liefferink
Examiner(s) Leonie Bentsink, Mariana Silva Artur
Contact info annika.liefferink@wur.nl AND thesis.PPH@wur.nl
Begin date 2023/04/01
End date 2025/05/01
Description PUMILIO RNA binding proteins regulate translation of proteins during plant development. In plants, but also in mammals, yeast, and worms, they are involved in embryonic development and stem cell maintenance. In seeds, we showed that PUMs can regulate germination under stress conditions, like heat, drought, or salt. But how that exactly works, is still unclear. We know that pum mutants in Arabidopsis show aberrant germination under salt stress, and we also know that pum double mutants have a severe plant phenotype. We think these PUMs might be redundant, meaning they can take over each other's function. With the help of CRISPR, we can produce fluorescently tagged PUM proteins in plants to track their localization during germination. This was already done transiently in tobacco leaves for PUM6, but not yet in Arabidopsis seeds. By doing this for several PUM proteins, we can understand better how different PUMs interact with each other and how they regulate seed germination under stress.
In this project, you will work with CRISPR-Cas to produce a tagged PUM line and then investigate the subcellular localization of the protein in the seed under different stress conditions under the microscope. Depending on the length of your thesis, you can also do a smaller portion of this.

If you are interested in this project please contact the supervisor via email with a copy to thesis.PPH@wur.nl with:
1. Your motivation for choosing this project
2. For which purpose (BSc or MSc thesis, research practice, etc)
3. Your BSc/MSc program
4. When you would like to start
Please be aware that if you do not provide the required information above it may cause a delay in our reply.

Used skills Seed phenotyping, CRISPR-Cas, confocal microscopy
Requirements You are curious to find out how seeds germinate, you are interested in molecular biology and you like to work in the lab. Preferably you have followed one of these courses: Seed science and technology (PPH-31306) or Plant plasticity and adaptation (PPH-30806).