Molecular Analysis of Brassinolide Action in Plant Growth and Development

克劳斯博士正在申请资金，以开展一项为期一年的试验项目，研究一种新型植物生长类固醇油菜素内酯（brassinolide，简称BR）对发育过程中基因表达的影响。他已经拿到了化学上纯净的化合物、一套分子探针、转基因植物和三套分析系统，这些系统可以在一年内获得关于建立长期生物多样性的可行性的明确答案。这类类固醇化合物对植物生长和分化相关基因转录的作用。该化合物对基因转录的作用尚未见报道，由于缺乏初步的分子数据，因此不适合全面推广。BR对植物生长发育有显著影响，与其他植物生长调节剂相互作用，与动物类固醇激素具有结构相似性。作为研究发育过程中基因表达的工具和作为农业生长促进剂，它具有巨大的潜力。油菜素内酯的作用机制尚不清楚。这项初步研究将确定它是否对基因表达有近端影响。如果是这样，那么更大规模的研究工作将是有必要的。

Dr. Clouse is requesting funds to conduct a one year pilotprogram on the effects of a novel plant growth steroid,brassinolide (BR), on gene expression during development. He hason hand the chemically pure compound, a set of molecular probesand transgenic plants and three assay systems with which toobtain, within one year, definitive answers about thefeasibility of establishing a long.term program on the action ofthis steroid compound on the transcription of plant genesinvolved in growth and differentiation. No work on the action ofthis compound on gene transcription has been reported and thelack of preliminary molecular data make this unsuitable for afull scale proposal. BR has pronounced effects on plant growthand development, interacts with other plant growth regulators andshares structural similarities with animal steroid hormones. Ithas immense potential as a tool for probing gene expressionduring development and as an agricultural growth promoter. %%% Nothing is known about the mechanism of action of brassinolide. This pilot study will determine if it has a proximal effect ongene expression. If so then a larger research effort would bewarranted.