U.S.-Korea Cooperative Research on Heterokaryosis and Nu- clear-plastid Interactions in Red Algae

该提案要求资金允许Lynda J. Goff博士，加州大学圣克鲁斯分校皇冠学院生物学副教授，与首尔国立大学植物学副教授In Kyu Lee博士进行为期24个月的研究项目，利用红藻模型系统Griffithsia产生异核体，研究两个主要问题。第一项研究将研究在异核融合产物中两种不同基因型的相对核数的变化对表型的影响。第二个将决定基因上不同的质体能否在一个共同的异核体中共存。异核增生被定义为基因上不同的细胞核在同一细胞质中共存和共表达。它发生在各种真菌群中，要么是两个遗传上不同的细胞核融合，然后一个细胞核从一个细胞迁移到另一个细胞，要么是在多核细胞的细胞质中一个或多个细胞核的自发突变。该项目是一项开创性的研究，对了解红藻的遗传学具有重要意义。目前，由于红藻作为琼脂、琼脂糖和卡拉胶等复合碳水化合物的经济来源具有巨大的经济潜力，人们对其产生了相当大的兴趣。此外，将进行的Griffithsia种间和种内杂交将为该属在整个太平洋地理范围内发生的物种形成提供非常有用的信息。两位合作者都是备受尊敬的科学家，他们在提案领域拥有丰富的研究经验和富有成效的出版记录。该项目与美韩合作科学项目的目标相关，该项目旨在通过科学信息、思想、技能和技术的交流以及在互利问题上的合作，提高美韩科学家和工程师之间的合作水平。

This proposal requests funds to permit Dr. Lynda J. Goff, Associate Professor of Biology, Crown College, University of California, Santa Cruz, to pursue with Dr. In Kyu Lee, Associate Professor of Botany, Seoul National University, for a period of 24 months, a program of research using the red algal model system Griffithsia to produce heterokaryons to investigate two major problems. The first investigation will examine the phenotypic effect of varying relative nuclear numbers of two different genotypes in the products of heterokaryon fusion. The second will determine if genetically different plastids can coexist in a common heterokaryon. Heterokaryosis is defined as the coexistence and coexpression of genetically different nuclei in a common cytoplasm. It occurs in various fungal groups either upon the fusion of two genetically different nuclei and the subsequent migration of a nucleus from one cell to another, or by the spontaneous mutation of one or more nuclei within the cytoplasm of a multinucleate cell. This project is pioneering research which should have great significance to an understanding of the genetics of red algae. At present there is considerable interest in red algae because of their economic potential as sources of complex carbohydrates such as agar, agarose, and carrageenan. In addition, the inter- and intraspecific crosses of Griffithsia that will be undertaken should provide extremely useful information on the speciation that has occurred within this genus, throughout its Pacific geographic range. Both collaborators are highly respected scientists who have extensive research experience and productive publication records in the field of the proposal. This project is relevant to the objectives of the U.S.-Korea Cooperative Science Program which seeks to increase the level of cooperation between U.S. and Korean scientists and engineers through the exchange of scientific information, ideas, skills, and techniques and through collaboration on problems of mutual benefit.