NSF/Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Molecular Evolution for FY 1998

DBI-9803949 Bonnie C.McCaig这一行动为美国国家科学基金会/阿尔弗雷德·P·斯隆1998年分子进化博士后研究奖学金提供了资金。这些奖学金支持在有机体进化变化和适应的框架内，在分子水平上对生物模式和过程进行理论、比较、计算和/或实验分析的研究。这些研究还包括使用分子数据来解决更广泛的进化问题。每个研究金资助一项研究和培训计划，该计划将在一个赞助实验室进行。该研究金的研究和培训计划名为《植物结构组件的进化》。针叶树的木质素是由一种前体聚合而成，而开花植物的木质素则是由两种前体聚合而成。正在解决的问题是，被子植物中是否有第二个漆酶基因家族与丁香基木质素的起源相一致？这两类木质素聚合漆酶具有不同的底物偏好，这两类酶在植物发育过程中可能有不同的表达。这个项目研究了漆酶基因的分子进化，漆酶是催化木质素聚合的酶，以确定是否有单独的生物合成途径进化来供应被子植物木质素的丁香基成分。基因系统发育和表达研究被用来确定在植物进化过程中，这些类别是否与木质素和细胞组成的变化平行。

Abstract DBI-9803949 Bonnie C. McCaig This action funds an NSF/Alfred P. Sloan Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Molecular Evolution for 1998. These fellowships support studies involving the theoretical, comparative, computational, and/or experimental analyses of biological patterns and processes at the molecular level within the framework of organismic evolutionary change and adaptation. These studies also include the use of molecular data to address broader evolutionary questions. Each fellowship supports a research and training plan to be carried out in a sponsoring laboratory. The research and training plan for this fellowship is entitled evolution of structural components of plants. The lignin in conifers arises from the polymerization of one precursor, whereas that in flowering plants arises from two. The question being addressed is did a second laccase gene family coincide with the origin of syringyl lignin in angiosperms? The two classes of lignin-polymerizing laccases have different substrate preferences, and these classes may be expressed differentially during plant development. This project examines the molecular evolution of genes encoding laccases, the enzymes catalyzing lignin polymerization, to determine whether a separate biosynthetic pathway evolved to supply the syringyl component of angiosperm lignin. Gene phylogenies and expression studies are used to determine whether the classes diverged in parallel with changes in lignin and cell composition during plant evolution.