Intercellular Trafficking of Knotted1 Gene Products

9727959杰克逊这一提议解决了植物细胞如何相互交流以协调其发育的问题。 PI正在研究细胞间运输-蛋白质和其他分子从一个植物细胞到另一个细胞的运动。 这一过程通过细胞间连丝（cellled plasmodesmata）这一小通道进行，这些通道连接植物细胞并使它们能够与邻居进行交流。 PI特别关注玉米中的KNOTTED 1（KN 1）蛋白。 这种蛋白质属于一类称为同源结构域蛋白质的转录因子，对于协调许多生物体的发育至关重要。 在玉米中，kn 1相关基因在分生组织中表达，分生组织是开花植物的发育中心。 研究人员先前发现，KN 1蛋白能够在植物细胞之间移动或运输，这一过程可能对协调植物的发育很重要。 PI将使用荧光标记来观察KN 1，因为它从一个细胞移动到下一个细胞;最终PI希望阐明其细胞间运输的机制和途径。 这项工作为农业应用带来了巨大的希望;所发现的细胞间运输机制可能不仅适用于像KN 1这样的细胞蛋白质，而且还适用于每年对农作物造成相当大损害的病毒病原体。

9727959 Jackson This proposal addresses the question of how plant cells communicate with each other to coordinate their development. The PIs are studying intercellular transport -- the movement of proteins and other molecules from one plant cell into another. This process takes place through small channels, celled plasmodesmata, that connect plant cells and allow them to communicate with their neighbors. The PIs are focusing specifically on the KNOTTED1 (KN1) protein in maize. This protein is in a class of transcription factors called homeodomain proteins that are vital to orchestrating the development of many organisms. In maize the kn1 related genes are expressed in the meristem, the developmental heart of the flowering plant. The PIs found previously that the KN1 protein is able to move or traffic between plant cells, and this process may be important in coordinating the development of the plant. The PIs will use fluorescent labels to observe KN1, as it moves from one cell to the next; ultimately the PIs hope to elucidate the mechanisms and pathways involved in its intercellular transport. This work holds great promise for agricultural applications; the mechanisms of cell to cell trafficking that are discovered will likely apply not only to cellular proteins like KN1, but also to viral pathogens that cause considerable damage to farm crops each year.