RUI: Elucidating and Manipulating the Role of Malate in the Maintenance of Stomatal Aperture

拉波特教授研究项目的目的是利用基因工程来改变植物对灌溉生长的反应。灌溉被广泛用于防止因干旱而造成的作物损失。在美国，大约70%被人类转移的水被用来灌溉农作物。灌溉使河流干涸，造成农田盐碱化，从而降低了作物产量。在灌溉条件下使用较少水的转基因作物有可能节省大量灌溉用水并减少对农田的破坏。植物消耗的大部分水分是通过叶片表面的气孔散失到大气中去的。气孔边缘的特化保护细胞通过改变保护细胞中某些离子的浓度来控制气孔的开闭。Laporte教授的研究重点是这些离子中的一种，苹果酸盐，当气孔打开时，它在保护细胞中保持高浓度。苹果酸盐的代谢与气孔关闭有关。Laporte教授将研究苹果酸代谢酶，寻找改变其活性的方法，从而调节气孔开口的大小，同时维持气孔功能，这对植物的最佳生长至关重要。该项目的长期目标不仅包括更好地理解保护细胞中苹果酸盐代谢调节气孔开口大小的方式，而且还包括在灌溉条件下保守用水的植物的实际分子工程。为了实现这一目标，Laporte教授将对苹果酸代谢酶的基因进行遗传研究，确定在保卫细胞中产生哪种形式的酶。然后，她将评估在保护细胞中产生比平常更多代谢酶的植物、在保护细胞中不产生代谢酶的植物和在保护细胞中产生突变代谢酶的植物中气孔开口的大小和水的利用。这些实验将为拉波特教授设计一种灌溉用水更少的植物提供信息。通过这个研究项目，Laporte教授也将为本科生的培养做出贡献。东密歇根大学拥有多元化的学生群体，其中包括高素质的本科生，他们对与教师进行一对一的培训感兴趣。虽然许多欧洲经济联盟的学生继续毕业或进入专业学校或加入科学队伍；更多的人成为K-12教师。在实现这项研究目标的同时，Laporte教授将培养有前途的本科生，包括少数族裔成员，他们将成为下一代科学家和教师。EMU与当地K-12教学社区之间的广泛联系为高中生以及现任和未来的教师提供了学习和参与Laporte教授研究计划的机会。在这个项目中使用的许多分子、生化和生理技术，以及伴随的批判性思维技能，都可以在高中课堂上使用。

The purpose of Prof. Laporte's research project is to use genetic engineering to alter plant responses to growth under irrigation. Irrigation is widely used to prevent crop losses due to drought. In the United States, approximately 70% of the water diverted by humans is used to irrigate crops. Irrigation has dried up rivers and caused salinization of crop land, which reduces crop productivity. Genetically modified crops that use less water under irrigation conditions have the potential to save massive amounts of irrigation water and to reduce the destruction of farm land.The majority of water used by plants is lost to the atmosphere through openings called stomata on leaf surfaces. Specialized guard cells that border the stomata control stomatal opening and closing through changes in the concentrations of certain ions in the guard cells. Prof. Laporte's research focuses on one of these ions, malate, which is maintained at high concentrations in guard cells when stomata are open. The metabolism of malate is linked to stomatal closure. Prof. Laporte will study the enzyme that metabolizes malate to look for ways of altering its activity, thereby modulating the size of the stomatal opening while maintaining the stomatal function critical to optimal plant growth.The long-term goals of this project include not only a better understanding of the way in which malate metabolism in guard cells regulates the size of the stomatal opening, but also the actual molecular engineering of plants with conservative water use under irrigation. In order to accomplish this, Prof. Laporte will conduct genetic studies of the gene for the malate-metabolizing enzyme, identifying which form of the enzyme is made in guard cells. She will then evaluate the size of the stomatal opening and the use of water in plants that make more the metabolizing enzyme in guard cells than usual, plants that make no metabolizing enzyme in guard cells, and plants that make a mutant metabolizing enzyme in guard cells. These experiments will provide the information Prof. Laporte will use to engineer a plant that uses less irrigation water.Through this research project, Prof. Laporte will also contribute to the training of undergraduate students. Eastern Michigan University has a diverse student body of high-quality undergraduates who are interested in one-on-one training with faculty members. Although many EMU students go on to graduate or professional school or join the scientific workforce; an even larger number become K-12 teachers. While pursuing the goals of this research, Prof. Laporte will train promising undergraduate students, including members of underrepresented minorities, who will become the next generation of scientists and teachers. The extensive connections between EMU and the local K-12 teaching community provide opportunities for high school students, as well as current and future teachers, to learn from and become involved in Prof. Laporte's research program. Many of the molecular, biochemical, and physiological techniques used in this project, along with the accompanying critical thinking skills, can be adapted for use in high school classrooms.