Mechanism of TERMINAL EAR1 in regulation of plant development

This award supports research into how plants control their growth and form at a molecular level, with a focus on a maize gene called TERMINAL EAR1 (TE1). Plant development depends on meristems, pools of stem cells that give rise to leaves, stems, and reproductive organs such as flowers and seeds. While much is known about how genes turn on and off to guide development, far less is understood about how plants regulate development at the level of translating RNAs into proteins. This project investigates TE1, an RNA-binding protein that appears to control when and how specific RNAs are translated, thereby shaping fundamental aspects of plant form, including plant size and the architecture of grain-bearing structures. Maize is the most economically important cereal crop in the United States, so understanding the genes that govern its architecture has direct implications for improving crop yields and resilience, advancing U.S. agricultural sustainability and food security. The project serves the national interest by promoting the progress of science in plant biology and through potential applications in crop improvement. Educational broader impacts include training the next generation of scientists through mentorship of a postdoctoral researcher and hands-on research experiences for high school students in partnership with Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Partners for the Future Program and Genspace, a community biology laboratory in Brooklyn, New York. This project advances NSF’s priorities in Biotechnology. The goal of this project is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which the RNA-binding protein TE1 regulates post-transcriptional control of developmental gene expression in maize meristems. TE1 is the founding member of a conserved plant gene family whose mechanism of action has remained unresolved for over 25 years. Preliminary data indicate that TE1 binds hundreds of mRNAs, including transcripts encoding SQUAMOSA-PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) transcription factors and other developmental regulators, and that TE1 localizes to cytoplasmic puncta where it appears to repress translation. The project will pursue three integrated aims: (1) define the RNA and protein interactome of TE1 and determine how it regulates target mRNAs using translatome profiling, RNA immunoprecipitation, and advanced imaging approaches; (2) test the developmental significance of key TE1 targets, particularly SPL genes, through epistasis analysis; and (3) explore a potential role for TE1 in stress-responsive translational regulation. By integrating genetics, molecular biology, imaging, and genome-wide profiling, this work aims to establish a new paradigm for post-transcriptional control of plant development. It also provides potential molecular targets for crop improvement through biotechnology and gene editing to improve crop productivity and stress resilience. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. NSF Award ID: 2550580 | Program: 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT | Principal Investigator: David Jackson | Institution: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, COLD SPG HBR, NY | Award Amount: $878,729 View on NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2550580 View on Research.gov: https://www.research.gov/awardapi-service/v1/awards/2550580.html