Arabidopsis 2010: Arabidopsis Polyadenylation Factor Subunits - Mutants and Protein Interaction Networks

信使rna （mrna）的聚腺苷化是植物基因表达过程中的一个重要步骤。聚腺苷化增加了mRNA的基本元素，并有助于协调信使RNA的合成及其在蛋白质合成中的最终功能。因此，组成聚腺苷酸化机制的蛋白质亚基预计在植物生长中发挥重要作用。该项目的目标是确定编码聚腺苷酸化机制亚基的一组拟南芥基因的集体功能（这组基因，包括拟南芥基因组标识符，可以在http://www.uky.edu/~aghunt00/polyA2010.html和http://www.users.muohio.edu/liq/arabidopsis2010.html上找到）。这将包括对一个或多个亚基被移除（通过突变或基因沉默）的植物的表型进行记录，并确定涉及各种亚基的蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用的完整集合。研究结果将通过同行评审出版物以及主要研究人员管理的网页（http://www.uky.edu/~aghunt00/polyA2010.html和http://www.users.muohio.edu/liq/arabidopsis2010.html）进行传播。此外，突变的拟南芥砧木将被存放在适当的砧木中心。该研究将通过对突变表型进行分类，通过定义拟南芥多聚腺苷化因子亚基之间的相互作用网络，以及通过识别与多聚腺苷化机制相互作用的未知功能蛋白质，为2010年项目的目标（“到2010年确定参考物种在其细胞、有机体和进化背景下的所有基因的功能”）做出贡献。该研究将大大增加目前对高等植物mRNA 3'端形成的认识。因此，它将增强定制外源基因在转基因植物中表达的能力，从而为农民开发改良作物（以及新的替代经济机会）。它也将为mRNA聚腺苷化的进化提供重要的见解。研究产品（克隆cDNA、抗体、植物品系等）将向整个研究界开放。这项研究将有助于培养两名博士后、四名研究生和多达12名本科生。后者将从肯塔基大学（University of Kentucky）和迈阿密大学（Miami University）备受推崇的多元化项目中挑选。

The polyadenylation of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) is an important step in the process of gene expression in plants. Polyadenylation adds an essential element to the mRNA and helps to coordinate the synthesis of a messenger RNA with its ultimate functioning in protein synthesis. Consequently, the protein subunits that make up the polyadenylation machinery are expected to play important roles in plant growth. The goals of this project are to determine the collective function of the set of Arabidopsis genes that encode subunits of the polyadenylation machinery (this set, including Arabidopsis genome identifiers, can be found at http://www.uky.edu/~aghunt00/polyA2010.html and http://www.users.muohio.edu/liq/arabidopsis2010.html). This will include a documentation of the phenotypes of plants that have had one or more subunit removed (by mutation or gene silencing) and a determination of the complete set of protein-protein interactions involving the various subunits. The results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publication as well as through web pages managed by the principal investigators (http://www.uky.edu/~aghunt00/polyA2010.html and http://www.users.muohio.edu/liq/arabidopsis2010.html). In addition, mutant Arabidopsis stocks will be deposited with the appropriate stock center(s). The research will contribute to a goal of the 2010 Project ("to determine the function of all genes of a reference species within their cellular, organismal and evolutionary contexts by the year 2010") by cataloguing mutant phenotypes, by defining the network of interactions amongst Arabidopsis polyadenylation factor subunits, and by identifying proteins of unknown function that interact with the polyadenylation machinery.The research will greatly increase the current understanding of mRNA 3' end formation in higher plants. As such, it will enhance the ability to tailor foreign genes for expression in transgenic plants, and thereby develop improved crops (as well as novel alternative economic opportunities) for farmers. It will also lend significant insight into the evolution of mRNA polyadenylation. The research products (cloned cDNA, antibodies, plant lines etc.) will be made available to the research community at large. The research will contribute to the training of two postdoctoral scholars, four graduate students, and as many as twelve undergraduates. The latter will be drawn from highly-regarded and diverse programs at the University of Kentucky and Miami University.