MSc by Research: Exploring temperature sensing pathways in barley

About the Project

Mean global temperatures have risen by 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels and could climb by another 4°C by 2100. Climate change is already affecting crop yields, and without effective mitigation, global yields of major crops could decline by as much as 36% by the end of the century. In the UK staple crops wheat and barley, each 1°C increase above optimal growth temperature is estimated to reduce yield by 5-6% (Jacott & Boden, 2020). There is thus an urgent need to understand how plants perceive and respond to rising temperatures at the molecular level – knowledge that is essential for developing climate-resilient crops.

Over the past 25 years, key temperature sensing mechanisms have been identified in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Quint et al., 2023). A signalling cascade involving phytochrome temperature sensors and transcription factors of the PHYTOCHROME INTERACTING FACTOR (PIF) family play a central role in responses to elevated, above-optimal temperatures (Balcerowicz et al., 2020). However, whether this signalling pathway is conserved and operates in a similar way in cereals is unknown.

In this project, you will characterise homologues of PIF transcription factors in the UK’s staple crop barley. You will use bioinformatic, genetic, molecular biology and protein biochemistry approaches to (1) analyse sequence variation in putative barley PIF homologues; (2) test the functional conservation of PIFs between barley and Arabidopsis; (3) examine the molecular characteristics of barley PIF proteins. The focus of the project can be further tailored to your specific interests. Ultimately, your research will help determine whether temperature signalling pathways are conserved in cereals and whether their components could be exploited through breeding and gene editing strategies to render crops more resilient to a warming climate.

Ideal applicants will have a strong interest in plant molecular biology; prior experience in this field is preferred but not essential. Through the project, you will gain technical skills in sequence homology analysis, plant genotyping and phenotyping, genetic complementation assays and protein-protein interaction studies. You will be based within the Division of Plant Sciences at the James Hutton Institute, a leading centre for crop research and home of the International Barley Hub. This unique setting offers access to world class facilities, expert mentoring and a vibrant, international research community.

Our research community thrives on the diversity of students and staff which helps to make the University of Dundee a UK university of choice for postgraduate research. We welcome applications from all talented individuals and are committed to widening access to those who have the ability and potential to benefit from higher education.