Functional Analysis of the Viviparous-1 Gene of Maize

在这份提案中，麦卡蒂博士探讨了 控制和整合不同发育阶段的表达， 与玉米种子成熟有关的反应。突变 Viviparous-1（Vp-1）基因阻断了大部分或全部与成熟相关的 发育中的胚和糊粉层组织中的基因表达 种子两组看似不相关的基因受 Vp 1：1）胚胎成熟集，包括各种晚期 胚胎发生丰富基因（莱亚's）和7 s球蛋白基因。 这些基因也受到激素脱落酸的调节。（二） 第二组包括花青素途径的基因。博士 McCarty已经表明，Vp 1通过以下方式激活花青素途径： 激活第二调节基因C1。这些基因 作为一个监管层级。他的研究结果表明，Vp 1 是一种新的转录因子。通过表达Vp 1基因， 玉米原生质体，他能够表征调控 参与C1和Em调控的序列，Em是一个莱亚基因， 小麦该系统还提供了针对Vp-1的功能测定。 蛋白他的目标是1）确定Vp-1如何调节 目的基因的转录，2）使用诱变来定义 Vp 1蛋白中功能重要的序列，3）鉴定 与Vp 1相互作用的因素，4）表征Vp 1在 使用异位表达的发育和5）表征 Vp-1的转录和转录后调控 表情

In this proposal Dr. McCarty explores the regulatory mechanism which controls and integrates expression of diverse developmental responses related to seed maturation in maize. Mutations in the Viviparous-1 (Vp-1) gene block much or all of maturation related gene expression in embryo and aleurone tissues of the developing seed. Two seemingly unrelated groups of genes are regulated by Vp1: 1) An embryo maturation set including various late embryogenesis abundant genes (LEA's) and the 7s globulin genes. These genes are also regulated by the hormone, abscisic acid. 2) The second set includes the genes of the anthocyanin pathway. Dr. McCarty has shown that Vp1 activates the anthocyanin pathway by activating a second regulatory gene, C1. Thus, these genes function as a regulatory hierarchy. His results suggest that Vp1 is a novel transcription factor. By expressing the Vp1 gene in maize protoplasts, he is able to characterize regulatory sequences involved in regulation of C1 and Em, a LEA gene of wheat. This system also provides a functional assay for the Vp-1 protein. His objectives are to 1) Determine how Vp-1 regulates transcription of target genes, 2) Use mutagenesis to define functionally important sequences in the Vp1 protein, 3) Identify factors that interact with Vp1, 4) Characterize Vp1's role in development using ectopic expression and 5) Characterize transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of Vp-1 expression.