Project Number: 1931-21000-020-05
Project Type: Nonfunded Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Apr 01, 2012
End Date: Mar 31, 2014

Objective:
The objectives of this project are: 1) to identify and compare expression of genes in apple and grape that respond to both biotic and abiotic stress; and 2) to identify and compare regulatory regions (promoters) of apple and grape homologs to find differences and similarities.

Approach:
Most of the approach will involve bioinformatic (ARS role) methods and verification by expression analysis (Cooperator role). Stress responsive genes expressed in apple in response to cold and drought will be compared with genes from grape responding to fungal disease infection (Cooperator). Common sets of genes identified in both species will be further analyzed using existing genome resources to find the promoter regions of the genes in grape and those in apple and compare the cis-elements that contribute to their regulation (ARS). Promoter discovery software will be used to identify the cis-elements found in both apple and grape promoters. Functional tests using select promoters controlling a reporter gene will verify the roles they play during exposure to biotic or abiotic stress (ARS and Cooperator).