U.S.-Chile Cooperative Research: Topography of Pectin Biosynthesis in Plants

9722509这个美洲项目奖将支持佐治亚大学的Debra Mohnen博士和智利大学的Ariel Orellana博士之间的一个合作研究项目，以研究植物中果胶的生物合成。果胶是植物初生壁的一种多糖，在植物的生长发育中起着至关重要的作用。要充分理解这些作用，就需要阐明调节其生物合成的机制。该提案的目标是确定果胶生物合成酶的拓扑结构，长期目标是在分子水平上阐明果胶是如何合成的。在这项研究中，研究人员将试图鉴定酶的活性，确定酶的拓扑结构，并对酶进行溶解和纯化。在鉴定和纯化过程中对其生物化学的了解增加，对于建立准确的果胶生物合成模型将是重要的。拟议的协作将实现项目目标所需的两个互补小组聚集在一起。这位美国科学家在果胶生物合成方面的专业知识补充了Orellana博士在核苷酸、糖运输和膜蛋白拓扑学方面的经验。除了对植物的重要性外，果胶还是一种重要的食物纤维，有助于水果和蔬菜的粗饲料，也是食品中重要的经济胶凝剂和稳定剂。***

9722509 Mohnen This Americas Program award will support a collaborative research project between Dr. Debra Mohnen, University of Georgia, and Dr. Ariel Orellana, Universidad de Chile, to study pectin biosynthesis in plants. Pectin is a polysaccharide of plant primary wall that plays critical roles in plant growth and development. A full understanding of these roles requires elucidation of the mechanisms that regulate its biosynthesis. The goal of the proposal is to determine the topology of the pectin biosynthetic enzyme, with the long term goal of elucidating, on a molecular level, how pectin is synthesized. In this study, the researchers will try to identify enzymatic activity, determine the topography of the enzyme, and solubilize and purify enzymes. The increased understanding of their biochemistry, gained during the identification and purification process, will be important for building accurate models of biosynthesis of pectin. The proposed collaboration brings together two complementary groups required to achieve the project's objectives. The US scientist's expertise in biosynthesis of pectin complements Dr. Orellana's experience in nucleotide sugar-transport and topography of membrane proteins. In addition to its importance to plants, pectin is an important food fiber that contributes to the roughage of fruits and vegetables, and is an economically important gelling and stabilizing agent in foods. ***