Project properties
Title Can green be seen? Using genetic variation to study green light signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana
Group Plant Physiology, Laboratory of
Project type thesis
Credits 18-39
Supervisor(s) Dr. Jesse Kupers
Examiner(s) Dr. Charlotte Gommers
Contact info jesse.kupers@wur.nl AND thesis.PPH@wur.nl
Begin date 2023/09/01
End date 2024/09/01
Description Plants use light for photosynthesis, but not all colours of light are equally absorbed and used by chlorophyll. The green colour we associate with plants is due to leaves reflecting green light rather than absorbing it. As green light is not efficiently used in photosynthesis, has no large effects on plant growth and there is no known green light photoreceptor, plants have long been believed to be insensitive to green light. However, our recent work has shown that plants do most certainly respond to green light and that the exact spectral composition of green light is crucial for the response. Pure green light, that lacks blueish wavelengths induces a rapid hypocotyl elongation response that results in taller hypocotyls in green light than in darkness. Such a response to light is very uncommon. To further investigate the regulation of green light-induced hypocotyl elongation and possible other developmental parameters, we want to use the genetic variation in a genome wide association study (GWAS) population. In this approach, we will screen a large population of Arabidopsis accessions for their phenotypic and photosynthetic response to green light. Using bioinformatic analysis, any found variation between accessions can be linked to genetic regions (genes) that underlie the response. The results of this project will potentially give many leads for further work, including mutant phenotyping, gene expression and protein quantification.

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 Possible techniques include: Genome wide association study – phenotyping – bioinformatics – Western blot – qRT-PCR
Requirements Knowledge of plant physiology and biology
Affinity with molecular lab work