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

小行星9722509 该美洲计划奖将支持格鲁吉亚大学Debra Mohnen博士和智利大学Ariel Orellana博士之间的合作研究项目，以研究植物中的果胶生物合成。 果胶是植物初生壁多糖，在植物生长发育中起着重要作用。 要充分了解这些作用，需要阐明其生物合成的调控机制。 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，研究人员将尝试鉴定酶的活性，确定酶的拓扑结构，并溶解和纯化酶。 在鉴定和纯化过程中获得的对它们的生物化学的增加的理解对于建立果胶生物合成的精确模型将是重要的。 拟议的合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博士在核苷酸糖转运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加工，并且是食品中经济上重要的胶凝剂和稳定剂。 ***

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. ***