Project Grant 2329271

This $608,223 Project Grant awarded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) will support collaborative research at the University of California, Riverside (UC Riverside) to investigate the function of ACT domain repeat proteins in karrikin and KAI2 ligand metabolism in plants. The project aims to advance understanding of how plants use internal and external chemical signals, such as karrikins found in smoke, to shape their development and environmental interactions. Through genetic and biochemical approaches, the research will reveal the physiological functions and regulation of ACR proteins, which may facilitate allosteric control of nitrogen assimilation or integrate nitrogen status into karrikin/KAI2 ligand metabolism. The grant will also help build and diversify the U.S. scientific workforce by training two graduate students and approximately 100 undergraduates, many of whom are first-generation or from low-income backgrounds. This five-year project is scheduled to begin on August 15, 2024 and conclude by July 31, 2027.