Environmental and Developmental Regulation of Plant Proteinase Inhibitor Genes

抗营养蛋白酶抑制剂蛋白是植物组织中作为防御昆虫和病原体的防御蛋白，旨在进一步了解其结构、功能、进化和合成调控。这些蛋白质首先在PI的实验室中被鉴定、分离和表征，随后被发现在马铃薯、西红柿和苜蓿叶片中合成，以应对昆虫攻击或严重的机械损伤。作为植物中调节蛋白酶抑制剂基因表达的伤口信号转导系统研究的一部分，PI实验室已经从番茄和马铃薯植物中分离并鉴定了几个蛋白酶抑制剂基因。有了这些基因，他们就能够研究蛋白酶抑制剂基因家族的结构、组织和调控，这些基因家族在对发育和环境信号的响应中表达。他们最近发现了一种由18个氨基酸组成的多肽，作为蛋白酶抑制剂的一种新的信号分子，并发现了一种用于抑制剂的挥发性信号分子，并发现了一种用于抑制剂的挥发性信号分子，茉莉酸甲酯。在实际应用中，一些蛋白酶抑制剂基因已经被PI成功地用于基因工程植物，以提高它们对捕食者的防御能力。

Research is proposed to further understand the structure, function, evolution and the regulation of synthesis of antinutrient proteinase inhibitor proteins that are present in plant tissues as defensive proteins against invading insects and pathogens. The proteins were first identified, isolated, and characterized in the PI's laboratory, and were subsequently found to be synthesized in potato, tomato, and alfalfa leaves in response to insect attacks or to severe mechanical wounding. As part of studies of wound signal transduction systems that regulate the expression of proteinase inhibitor genes in plants, the PI's lab has isolated and characterized several proteinase inhibitor genes from tomato and potato plants. With these genes they have been able to study the structure, organization, and regulation of proteinase inhibitor gene families that are expressed in response to both developmental and environmental signals. They have recently discovered an 18 amino acid polypeptide as a new signaling molecule for the proteinase inhibitors, and have found a volatile signalling molecule for the inhibitors, and have found a volatile signalling molecule for the inhibitors, methyl jasmonate. In the interest of practical applications, several proteinase inhibitor genes have been used by the PI successfully to genetically engineer plants to improve their defense against predators.