Functional Analysis of the Forkhead Associated Domain in Arabidopsis Thaliana

本项目的目标是更好地了解植物的信号转导途径。这些研究将集中在拟南芥中含有一种新型磷酸蛋白结合模块的蛋白质，称为叉头相关（FHA）结构域。FHA结构域存在于许多信号蛋白中，并介导磷酸化依赖性信号复合物的组装。在植物中，2C型蛋白磷酸酶激酶相关蛋白磷酸酶（KAPP）通过FHA结构域与磷酸化的受体样蛋白激酶（RLKs）相互作用。RLKs是植物中最大的一类细胞表面受体，调节着无数的细胞功能。KAPP是RLK功能的负调控因子，最近的研究表明KAPP突变体在幼苗期发育迟缓。该项目的具体目标是研究KAPP在控制植物生长发育中的功能，并确定KAPP介导的信号通路中的其他成分。此外，由于FHA结构域存在于涉及许多不同细胞过程的多种蛋白质中，因此将分析拟南芥中其他含有FHA结构域的蛋白质。这项研究将结合分子遗传学、细胞生物学和生物化学，将对更广泛地了解细胞通讯作出重大贡献。

The goal of this project is to attain a better understanding of signal transduction pathways in plants. These studies will focus on proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana that contain a novel phosphoprotein binding module known as the forkhead associated (FHA) domain. The FHA domain is found in many signaling proteins and mediates phosphorylation-dependent assembly of signaling complexes. In plants, a type 2C protein phosphatase, kinase associated protein phosphatase (KAPP), interacts with phosphorylated receptor-like protein kinases (RLKs) via an FHA domain. RLKs are the largest class of cell surface receptors in plants and regulated a myriad of cellular functions. KAPP is a negative regulator of RLK function and recent studies indicate kapp mutants developmentally arrest as seedlings. The specific aims of the project are to investigate the function of KAPP in control of plant growth and development and to identify other components in KAPP-mediated signaling pathways. In addition, because FHA domains are found in a wide variety of proteins involved in many different cellular processes other FHA domain-containing proteins from Arabidopsis thaliana will be analyzed. This research, which will use a combination of molecular genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry, will contribute significantly to a broader understanding of cellular communication.