Molecular Analysis of the VPI/ABI3 Activator Repressor

这项工作的长期目标是了解控制植物种子成熟过程的激素和发育信号如何整合到植物胚胎发生的更大程序中。 这位研究者建议继续他的一个关键的调控基因在这一途径中确定的玉米的vp 1突变体和它的表观同源物，ABI 3，在拟南芥中的分析。 VP 1的功能复杂性表明，与其他蛋白质因子的相互作用在其功能中起着核心作用。 私家侦探他将使用生物化学和遗传学的方法来鉴定并克隆可能与VP 1和ABI 3相互作用的基因。 虽然VP 1和ABI 3具有显著的同源性，但这些蛋白质在VP 1中已知功能重要的区域高度不同。 私家侦探 还将确定VP 1和ABI 3序列在玉米细胞和转基因拟南芥中功能上可互换的程度。 这也将提供一个ABI 3的功能图，与VP 1的功能图相当;它还将有助于将拟南芥中可用的遗传学用于成熟途径和ABI 3功能。 私家侦探还计划分析在玉米和拟南芥成熟途径中鉴定的新突变体。 他特别感兴趣的是识别影响VP 1或ABI 3表达或功能的新突变。

The long term goal of this work is to understand how the hormonal and developmental signals which control the process of seed maturation in plants are integrated into the larger program of plant embryogenesis. This investigator proposes to continue his analysis of a key regulatory gene in this pathway identified by the vp1 mutant of maize and its apparent homolog, ABI3, in Arabidopsis. The functional complexity of VP1 suggests that interactions with other protein factors play a central role in its function. The P.I. will use both biochemical and genetic approaches that will identify and allow him to clone genes which may interact with VP1 and ABI3. Though VP1 and ABI3 share significant homology, the proteins are highly divergent in regions known to be functionally important in VP1. The P.I. will also determine the extent to which VP1 and ABI3 sequences are functionally interchangeable in maize cells and in transgenic Arabidopsis. This will also provide a functional map of ABI3, comparable to that in hand for VP1; it will also aid in bringing the genetics available in Arabidopsis to bear on the maturation pathway and ABI3 function. The P.I. also plans to analyze new mutants in the maturation pathway identified in both maize and Arabidopsis. He is specifically interested in identifying new mutations that affect VP1 or ABI3 expression or function.