Roles of the Arabidopsis AKIP RNA-Binding-Proteins in Guard Cell Function

在植物和动物中，遗传密码都包含在生物体的DNA中。多细胞生物中的每个细胞都有完全相同的DNA，正是对DNA中哪些基因被使用或“表达”的调节，使一个细胞与另一个细胞不同。这种调节发生在许多层面上。DNA被转录成另一种类型的核酸，RNA，在翻译成蛋白质之前，RNA被进一步加工（剪切、剪接、修饰）。因此，基因表达的调控可以发生在转录水平、mRNA加工和稳定水平以及翻译水平。植物激素脱落酸（ABA）在植物适应干旱、寒冷和盐度等环境胁迫的能力中起着不可或缺的作用，这些环境胁迫严重影响了美国和世界范围内的作物生产力。ABA在基因转录调控中起着重要的作用，这一发现已为人们所熟知。一些实验室的研究结果现在开始表明，ABA在RNA代谢中也起着重要作用。在本研究中，将研究3种RNA结合蛋白“AtAKIPs”在ABA敏感性、RNA代谢和抗旱性调控中的作用。实验将在模式生物拟南芥中进行。拟南芥转基因植株中这3种蛋白的含量均发生了改变，将对其ABA敏感性、抗旱性和RNA稳定性进行评估。AtAKIP RNA靶点也将被确定，计算和实验方法将被应用于确定这些RNA中的共识基序，这些基序是RNA与AtAKIP结合所必需和充分的。一旦确定了这些基序，将在拟南芥和其他生物的全基因组基础上评估它们的存在，以进一步科学地了解激素介导的RNA代谢作用机制。调查人员积极参与到小学的外展教育中。阿斯曼博士开发了向幼儿园儿童介绍植物生物学的教学模块，并制作了一个关于植物重力感应的视频。Bevilacqua博士参与了“带孩子去上班”日的就业网站活动，并为当地小学制作了化学演示。研究人员将利用从目前的研究中获得的信息，为荣誉本科生物学课程开发新的实验室，并扩展研究生核酸物理化学课程的生物学方面。

In plants as well as in animals, the genetic code is contained within the organism's DNA. Every cell in a multicellular organism has exactly the same DNA, and it is the regulation of which genes within that DNA are used, or "expressed", that makes one cell different from another. This regulation occurs at many levels. DNA is transcribed (transcription) into another type of nucleic acid, RNA, which is further processed (cut, spliced, modified) before its translation into protein. Thus, regulation of gene expression can occur at the level of transcription, at the level of mRNA processing and stability, and at the level of translation. The plant hormone, abscisic acid (ABA), plays an integral role in the ability of plants to acclimate to environmental stresses such as drought, cold, and salinity, which seriously compromise crop productivity both in the U.S. and world-wide. It has been known for some time that ABA plays an important role in the regulation of gene transcription. Results from a few laboratories are now beginning to show that ABA also plays an important role in RNA metabolism. In the present research, the roles of 3 RNA binding proteins, "AtAKIPs" in the regulation of ABA sensitivity, RNA metabolism, and drought tolerance will be investigated. Experiments will be conducted in the model organism, Arabidopsis thaliana. ABA sensitivity, drought tolerance, and RNA stability will be assessed in Arabidopsis transgenic plants that have altered amounts of each of these 3 proteins. AtAKIP RNA targets also will be identified, and computational and experimental approaches will be applied to identify consensus motifs within these RNAs that are necessary and sufficient for the RNA to bind to the AtAKIP. Once such motifs are identified, their presence will be assessed on a genome-wide basis both in Arabidopsis and in other organisms, to further scientific insight into the mechanisms of hormonally-mediated effects on RNA metabolism. The investigators are actively involved in outreach education to elementary schools. Dr. Assmann has developed teaching modules to introduce plant biology to kindergartners and has developed a video about plant gravity sensing. Dr. Bevilacqua is involved in career-site activities for "take your child to work" day and has created chemistry demonstrations for local elementary schools. The investigators will use information obtained from the present research in the development of new laboratories for an honors undergraduate biology course, and to expand the biological aspects of the curriculum of a graduate Nucleic Acids physical chemistry class.