Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Analysis of causal mutations in barley identifies xan-c as encoding a PLS-PPR protein

Krauß, Marisa Ilka Selina (2025) MOBN03 20242
Degree Projects in Molecular Biology
Popular Abstract
From green to pale yellow: Genetics of barley chlorophyll deficiency.


Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is the fourth-largest grain crop in the world, making it one of the most economically important cereals. Today, it is mainly used in both animal feed and brewing. Because barley grows in many different environments and has been cultivated for thousands of years, it has also become an important model organism for plant genetic research. Scientists often study collections of barley plants with unusual traits, like changes in height, seed structure or leaf colour, to discover which genes control these features.

One of the most important processes in plants is photosynthesis, which allows them to convert sunlight into chemical energy and... (More)
From green to pale yellow: Genetics of barley chlorophyll deficiency.


Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is the fourth-largest grain crop in the world, making it one of the most economically important cereals. Today, it is mainly used in both animal feed and brewing. Because barley grows in many different environments and has been cultivated for thousands of years, it has also become an important model organism for plant genetic research. Scientists often study collections of barley plants with unusual traits, like changes in height, seed structure or leaf colour, to discover which genes control these features.

One of the most important processes in plants is photosynthesis, which allows them to convert sunlight into chemical energy and produce glucose as an energy source for growth, development, and survival. This process depends on chlorophyll, the pigment that gives plants their green colour. Some of the earliest studied barley mutants are unable to make chlorophyll. For example, the Xantha (xan) mutants appear pale yellow instead of green. Without chlorophyll, these plants cannot perform photosynthesis and sadly die soon after sprouting, once they’ve used up the energy stored in their seeds.

My thesis aimed to understand why a particular Xantha mutant, called Xantha-c, cannot produce chlorophyll correctly. Using computer-based comparisons, I searched for genetic differences between normal green barley and the Xantha-c mutant. I identified a promising gene, which I confirmed with several experiments, including gene editing. In this approach, I disrupted the promising gene in normal green barley to see if it would result in the same pale yellow appearance. The identified gene produces a special protein (called a pentatricopeptide repeat protein) that helps control the activity of other genes involved in photosynthesis. In the future, it will be interesting to investigate the exact mechanism by which this protein controls other genes.

Overall, by uncovering the genetic cause of the Xantha-c mutant’s yellow colour, my research provides new insights into how barley, and potentially other plants, manage the complex process of photosynthesis. In the future, this knowledge could help scientists develop crops that are more efficient or resilient, which is important for food security in a world facing climate change.


Master’s Degree Project in Molecular Biology: Molecular Genetics & Biotechnology 60 credits 2025
Department of Biology, Lund University

Advisor: Mats Hansson
The Section of Molecular Cell Biology, Department of Biology (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Krauß, Marisa Ilka Selina
supervisor
organization
course
MOBN03 20242
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
language
English
id
9215006
date added to LUP
2025-11-06 13:58:40
date last changed
2025-11-06 13:58:40
@misc{9215006,
  author       = {{Krauß, Marisa Ilka Selina}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Analysis of causal mutations in barley identifies xan-c as encoding a PLS-PPR protein}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}