Molecular Genetics of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Stress Responses and Remediation by Arabidopsis Thaliana

该项目旨在探索植物中多环芳烃（PAH）诱导反应的潜在分子机制，以及它们潜在的生物降解途径。多环芳烃是一种有机污染物，会导致癌症等人类健康问题。多环芳烃是油基制造业产生的污染物。一些植物物种，包括向日葵、大豆、豌豆和胡萝卜等作物植物，可以在中等程度的原油污染土壤上生长。然而，在分子水平上对多环芳烃摄取和降解的机制知之甚少，甚至对调节多环芳烃应激反应的细胞信号通路也知之甚少。对多环芳烃胁迫生理机制的深入了解将有助于在污染清理和生物监测中产生植物修复策略。本提案的目的是：1)表征拟南芥对多环芳烃的生理反应；2)确定介导各种多环芳烃诱导的植物反应的信号通路；3)筛选在多环芳烃诱导的生长反应中有缺陷的植物的基因突变群体；4)通过细菌筛选鉴定可用于多环芳烃降解的植物cdna。这些研究的长期目标是利用拟南芥中多环芳烃诱导反应的信息来设计具有广泛根系的树木或作物植物，用于多环芳烃污染的生物降解和生物监测。

IBN-0343856Adan Colon-Carmona University of Massachusetts, BostonPhytoremediation Program The proposed project explores the underlying molecular mechanisms for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-induced responses in plants, as well as their potential biodegradation pathways. PAHs are organic pollutants that cause human health problems such as cancer. PAHs are contaminants resulting from oil-based manufacturing. Some plant species, including crop plants such as sunflower, soybean, pea and carrot, can grow on moderate levels of crude oil-contaminated soil. Yet, very little is known at the molecular level about the mechanisms of PAH uptake and degradation, or even cell signaling pathways regulating PAH stress responses. A better understanding of PAH stress physiology will lead to the generation of phytoremediation strategies in pollution clean-up and biomonitoring. The aims of this proposal are the following: 1) to characterized the physiological responses to PAHs in Arabidopsis thaliana, 2) to identify the signaling pathways that mediate the various PAH-induced plant responses, 3) to screen genetically mutagenized populations for plants that are defective in PAH-induced growth responses, and 4) to identify, through bacterial screens, plant cDNAs that can be used in PAH degradation. The long term goal of these studies are to utilize the information regarding PAH-induced responses in Arabidopsis to engineer trees or crop plants with extensive root systems for their use in biodegradation and biomonitoring of PAH contamination.