# Mechanisms Controlling Hormone-Mediated Plant Growth in Response to the Environment

> **NIH NIH R35** · SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES · 2021 · $407,400

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
The mechanisms by which organisms alter their growth and development in response to changes in their
ambient environment are largely unknown. Plants exhibit an enormous array of phenotypic plasticity because
most plant organs do not arise until after the seed germinates, allowing organ size and shape to be optimized
to the local environment. Because plants are sessile and photosynthetic, they are especially attuned to their
light environment. Light influences every developmental transition, from seed germination to flowering, having
particularly dramatic effects on the morphogenesis of seedlings. During this stage of development, light can
alter the expression of thousands of genes within a few hours. Light signals do not act autonomously, but are
integrated with seasonal/diurnal changes in temperature and intrinsic programs to specify correct spatial and
temporal regulation of gene expression, organelle development, and cellular differentiation.
The proposed studies aim to answer the following questions: (1) What are the key signaling pathways and
mechanisms that translate information from the environment into changes in growth rate or the initiation of
flowering? (2) Are there multiple routes to the same response? (3) In the absence of a central nervous system,
how do multicellular organisms integrate a multitude of signals that are spatially and temporally separated and
often send conflicting messages? (4) Can we develop predictive models of plant growth? These questions will
be addressed using three stages of the plant life cycle that are well studied and known to be highly sensitive to
environmental input, namely shade-induced activation of growth, light intensity-induced inhibition of growth,
and shade-induced early flowering. In these contexts we will ask how a diverse set of transcriptional responses
is generated by the activation of a small number of signaling pathways. The resolution of the studies will be
increased using genetic sensors for specific hormone signal transduction pathways. These data will provide
an in-depth analysis of hormonal responses to combinations of abiotic stresses.
The diverse responses that plants exhibit to light and other environmental parameters provide a unique model
system for understanding signaling pathways that regulate phenotypic plasticity. The considerable genetic
resources available for each individual signaling pathway make these experiments feasible and timely. Our
efforts should contribute significantly to knowledge of complex signal transduction networks and our emerging
understanding of how they modulate metabolism in a spatial and temporal manner in multiple kingdoms.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10199755
- **Project number:** 5R35GM122604-05
- **Recipient organization:** SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES
- **Principal Investigator:** JOANNE CHORY
- **Activity code:** R35 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $407,400
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2017-07-01 → 2023-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10199755

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10199755, Mechanisms Controlling Hormone-Mediated Plant Growth in Response to the Environment (5R35GM122604-05). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10199755. Licensed CC0.

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