The Role of Pollen LRX Proteins in Plant Reproduction

Patricia Bedinger Proposal No. 0421097“The Role of Pollen LRX Proteins in Plant Reproduction“项目概要植物的有性生殖需要在携带精子的花粉和包含卵子的雌蕊之间进行许多识别。目前，对植物性别识别的分子调控机制还知之甚少。 这项工作旨在阐明花粉富含亮氨酸重复序列-延伸蛋白嵌合体（LRX）蛋白在植物繁殖中的作用。将采用三种方法：遗传学，分析突变体以测试在缺乏蛋白质的情况下的繁殖成功;分子，测试蛋白质的工程形式的功能;和生物化学，找到在分子水平上起作用的识别因子。预计这些研究将揭示植物中通过特异性蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用进行雌雄识别的信息。 此外，人们可能会对蛋白质如何锚定在植物细胞壁中有所了解，这是一个困扰植物科学家数十年的问题。 本提案中的工作涉及两个具有广泛社会重要性的问题。首先，美国农业的成功主要归功于杂交种子的生产，这取决于控制作物的授粉。在这个建议中概述的研究将进一步我们的理解授粉的基本分子识别步骤。第二，转基因作物中的转基因是否会通过授粉传播到非作物物种，这是一个合理的担忧。 拟议的活动将阐明授粉的控制，并可能建议分子保障措施，以防止转基因的无意传播。

Patricia Bedinger Proposal No. 0421097 "The Role of Pollen LRX Proteins in Plant Reproduction"Project Summary Sexual reproduction in plants requires many recognition events between pollen, which bears the sperm, and pistils, which contain the eggs. Currently, the molecular mechanisms mediating sexual recognition in plants are poorly understood. The work in this proposal seeks to illuminate the role of pollen Leucine-Rich Repeat-Extensin chimeric (LRX) proteins in plant reproduction. Three approaches will be used: genetics, analyzing mutants to test for reproductive success in the absence of the proteins; molecular, to test for function of engineered forms of the proteins; and biochemical, to find recognition factors that function at the molecular level. It is expected that these studies will reveal information about male-female recognition in plants through specific protein-protein interactions. In addition, some understanding of how proteins can become anchored into cell walls in plants, an issue that has puzzled plant scientists for decades, may be gained. The work in this proposal addresses two issues of broad societal importance. First, much of the success of agriculture in the United States is due to the production of hybrid seed, which depends on controlling pollination in crop plants. The studies outlined in this proposal will further our understanding of the basic molecular recognition steps involved in pollination. Second, there is a legitimate concern about whether transgenes in genetically modified crops can spread to non-crop species via pollination. The proposed activities will shed light on the control of pollination, and may suggest molecular safeguards to prevent the inadvertent spread of transgenes.