The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded a $826,720 Project Grant under the Biological Sciences program (CFDA 47.074) to the Regents of the University of California at Riverside (UC Riverside). The purpose of this 3-year award, effective August 1, 2024, is to investigate the mechanisms that regulate plant cell division plane positioning, which is critical for plant growth and development. The research seeks to understand how two functionally redundant proteins, TAN1 and AIR9, mediate division plane orientation in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Key research activities include assessing potential physical and genetic interactions between TAN1 and AIR9, characterizing AIR9 enhancer mutants, and analyzing AIR9 protein domains essential for division plane positioning. This research is expected to generate insights that are generalizable to flowering plants, including those of agronomic importance. The grant also supports training of graduate students, undergraduates, and a postdoctoral researcher, as well as outreach activities for elementary school students.
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