SGER: High Throughput Screening of Arabidopsis Root Volatiles Induced By Biotic Stress

植物的根释放约5-20%的光合作用固定碳，因此为许多根际生物创造了一个富含碳的环境，包括几种植物病原体和共生微生物。拟南芥基因组计划的一个重要结果是，现在可以开始鉴定在根中表达和介导根与根际相互作用的基因。虽然根分泌物的一些化学特征已经获得，特别是次生代谢物，但对根释放的挥发性有机化合物（VOCs）知之甚少。在本项目中，将研究一种探索根际相互作用的新方法。质子转移反应质谱（PTR-MS）技术可以快速、实时地分析几乎所有生物源的挥发性有机化合物，而无需预先浓缩或色谱法，该技术将应用于根性挥发性有机化合物的分析。具体目标是：(1)应用PTR-MS分析拟南芥根系在正常、非生物和生物胁迫条件下的总挥发性有机化合物排放；(2)筛选拟南芥T-DNA突变体亚群，筛选关键生物诱导的根系VOCs。这项研究将在多学科的研究氛围中为培养博士后学者提供更广泛的好处。如果成功，这项工作将向科学界证明，PTR-MS是一种有价值的分析工具，当与基因组学方法相结合时，它将提供巨大的发现潜力。

The roots of plants release about 5-20% percent of all photosynthetically-fixed carbon,and as a result create a carbon-rich environment for numerous rhizosphere organisms,including several plant pathogens and symbiotic microbes. An important result of theArabidopsis genome project is that it is now feasible to begin identifying the genes thatare expressed in roots and that mediate root-rhizosphere interactions. Although somechemical characterization of root exudates has been achieved specially for secondarymetabolites, much less is known about volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released by roots. In this project, a novel approach to explore these rhizosphereinteractions will be investigated. A new technology, proton-transfer-reactionmass spectrometry (PTR-MS), that allows rapid and real time analysis of virtually allbiogenic VOCs without preconcentration or chromatography will be applied to the analysis of root VOCs. Specific objectives are:(1) application of PTR-MS to analyze total VOC emission from Arabidopsis roots in response to normal conditions versus abiotic and biotic stresses; (2) screening a subset of Arabidopsis T-DNA mutants for key biotic-induced root VOCs. This research will provide the broader benefit of the training of a postdoctoral scholar in a multidisciplinary research atmosphere. If successful, this work will demonstrate to the science community that PTR-MS is a valuable analytical tool which offers great potential for discovery when combined with a genomics approach.