Use of a Contradictory Glabra3 mutant to study Arabidopsis Trichome Development

模式植物拟南芥叶片表面的单细胞毛发（称为毛状体）的发育被用来解决基本的生物学问题。虽然这项研究的性质是基础的，但它也可能有未来的实际应用。这是因为毛状体提供了一个屏障，帮助保护许多植物免受昆虫、干旱或过度阳光的侵害。因此，从拟南芥毛状体的研究中获得的信息可能会导致改善作物植物的策略。此外，许多控制毛状细胞命运和分化的细胞过程在所有真核细胞中都被发现。因此，对毛状体的分析可能有助于更好地理解所有真核细胞的细胞分化；包括植物和动物。本研究也将为加强学生基本生物学概念的教学提供一个框架。毛状体很容易在课堂环境中学习，这笔赠款产生的材料将提供给6-12年级和本科教室。这些材料将有助于理解遗传的基本概念以及有关蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用的更高级的概念。这项研究的实际重点是拟南芥突变体，它表现出不寻常的毛状体。导致毛状体异常发育的基因突变已被确定并发现在一个基因（称为GL3）中，该基因可能是调节毛状体发育过程中许多基因表达所必需的。此外，已知GL3基因编码的蛋白质与其他蛋白质相互作用。该基金将资助该突变基因的分析，以解决以下问题：GL3突变如何影响由此改变的GL3蛋白与其他蛋白质相互作用的能力？为什么这种突变会导致毛状体发育异常？其他基因的突变能抑制GL3的突变吗？这些问题的答案将增加我们对许多基本细胞过程的认识，如细胞分裂、细胞扩增、细胞分化和基因调控。

The development of the single celled hairs (called trichomes) on the surface of the leaves of the model plant Arabidopsis is being used to address basic biological questions. While the nature of this research is basic, it also may have future practical applications. This is because the trichomes provide a barrier that helps protect many plants from insects, drought, or excess sunlight. Thus, information obtained from the study of Arabidopsis trichomes may lead to strategies to improve crop plants. Furthermore, many of the cellular processes that control trichome cell fate and differentiation are found in all eukaryotic cells. Thus, the analysis of trichomes may lead to a better understanding of cellular differentiation of all eukaryotic cells; both plant and animal. This research also will provide a framework for enhancing the teaching of fundamental basic biological concepts to students. The trichomes are easy to study in a classroom setting and materials generated from this grant will be made available to 6-12 grade and undergraduate classrooms. These materials will aid in understanding the basic concepts of heredity as well as more advanced concepts concerning protein-protein interaction. The actual focus of this research will be on an Arabidopsis mutant that exhibits unusual trichomes. The gene mutation responsible for the abnormal trichome development has been identified and found to be in a gene (called GL3) that is likely required for regulating the expression of many genes during trichome development. Furthermore, the protein encoded by the GL3 gene is known to interact with other proteins. This grant will fund the analysis of this mutant gene addressing such questions as: How does the GL3 mutation affect the ability of the resulting altered GL3 protein to interact with other proteins? Why does the mutation cause the trichomes to develop abnormally? Can mutations in other genes suppress the mutation in GL3? The answers to these questions will increase our knowledge of many basic cellular processes such as cell division, cell expansion, cell differentiation, and gene regulation.