Characterization of mutated genes in suppressors of the DALEKIN hormone pathway in Arabidopsis thaliana

Dalekin is a novel plant hormone that signals the perception of drought and salt stress. We believe it is made in the roots and moves through the plant causing multiple developmental and physiological responses based on analysis of BPS1 mutants. However, the biosynthesis and signaling pathways of dalekin are unknown. Understanding how these pathways function could give us more insight into efficiently growing plants in unfavorable conditions. To understand these pathways the model system Arabidopsis thaliana was used to generate suppressors of the cold-sensitive bps1 mutant phenotype. Four suppressor lines were analyzed to determine whether their mutation was impacting dalekin biosynthesis or signaling. Data from calcium sensitivity experiments indicate that all four lines have mutations causing the suppression of the bps1 phenotype in the signaling pathway. We are now undertaking a bulk segregant analysis on those lines to potentially identify candidate genes for the cause of suppression.