Arabidopsis 2010: Functional Analysis of the Arabidopsis CLE Family of Putative Polypeptide Signaling Molecules

随着植物的生长，它们通过使用称为信号分子的小基因产物交换信息来协调它们的发育和环境反应。 本研究的目的是确定拟南芥中编码一个相关信号分子家族的25个CLE基因的生物学功能。 一种名为CLV3的CLE基因产物在植物生长的茎尖细胞之间传递信息，但其他CLE信号分子的功能尚不清楚。 关于每种CLE基因在植物中的作用以及对每种CLE基因功能受损或人为增强的实验植物进行分析的信息将通过为该项目开发的公共数据库提供（www.pgec.usda.gov/Fletcher/CLEproject.html）。 这些基因功能数据将包括根、芽、叶和花发育和环境响应的定性和定量测量。 研究人员将免费提供CLE克隆和实验植物，供其他研究人员在进一步的实验中使用，研究结果将通过会议演示和科学出版物及时广泛传播。 CLE基因编码全新的信号分子，因此对它们的分析将是实现2010年项目目标以确定所有拟南芥基因功能的关键。 此外，由于植物的生长和存活严重依赖于细胞之间的信息交流，并且由于对传递这种信息的信号分子知之甚少，了解CLE基因的功能应该为植物如何发育和对环境的反应提供新的基本见解。该项目的一个重要组成部分是将研究和教育结合起来，以提高对细胞如何生长的普遍理解。到细胞的通信起作用。 博士后助理以及加州大学伯克利分校和加州理工学院的研究生将接受培训。 来自这些机构的本科生，包括来自代表性不足群体的本科生，将被招募接受现代功能基因组学理论和方法的培训，这些理论和方法可以应用于各种生物系统。 所有研究生和博士后将协助研究的各个方面，包括本科生的监督，不仅在科学方面，而且在指导方面提供有价值的培训。

As plants grow, they coordinate their development and environmental responses by exchanging information using small gene products called signaling molecules. The goal of this research is to determine the biological functions of 25 CLE genes that encode a family of related signaling molecules in Arabidopsis thaliana. One CLE gene product, called CLV3, communicates information between cells at the growing shoot tips of plants, but the functions of the other CLE signaling molecules are unknown. Information on where each CLE gene acts in the plant, and on analysis of experimental plants in which each CLE gene function is either impaired or artificially enhanced will be delivered through a public database developed for this project (www.pgec.usda.gov/Fletcher/CLEproject.html). These gene function data will consist of qualitative and quantitative measurements of root, shoot, leaf and flower development and environmental responses. The investigators will provide CLE clones and experimental plants without cost for other researchers to use in further experiments, and the research results will be communicated widely and in a timely fashion through meeting presentations and scientific publications. The CLE genes encode completely novel signaling molecules, and thus their analysis will be essential to reach the 2010 Project goal to determine the function of all Arabidopsis genes. Further, because plant growth and survival is critically dependent on the communication of information between cells, and because so little is known about the signaling molecules that convey this information, understanding CLE gene functions should provide fundamental new insights into how plants develop and respond to their environment.An important component of the project is to integrate research and education to increase the general understanding of how cell-to-cell communication works. Postdoctoral associates as well as University of California at Berkeley and Caltech graduate students will be trained. Undergraduate students from these same institutions, including those from underrepresented groups will be enlisted to receive training in modern functional genomics theory and methods, which can be applied to a wide variety of biological systems. All graduate students and postdocs will assist in various aspects of the research, including the supervision of undergraduates, providing valuable training not only in science but also in mentoring.