CYTOSKELETON FUNCTION AND DYNAMICS DURING PLANT VACUOLAR AUTOPHAGY IN RESPONSE TO ENVIRONMENTAL STRESSES

自噬（意思是“自我吞噬”）是动物、植物和真菌细胞在饥饿和衰老期间发生的一个过程。在这个过程中，细胞成分被分解成更小的分子，作为一种回收营养物质供生物体再利用的手段。这种降解发生在称为液泡的细胞隔室内。提出的研究的目的是确定在模式植物拟南芥营养饥饿期间，成分如何被递送到液泡中进行降解。输送机制将通过显微镜和阻止输送的化学物质进行表征。此外，可能参与转运过程的基因的功能将使用遗传和生化方法进行分析。本研究旨在揭示自噬在植物营养饥饿反应中的重要性，并阐明自噬过程中组分向液泡运输的机制。这将增加我们对一个基本过程的认识，这个过程在许多不同生物体的应激反应和疾病进展中很重要。它还具有农业意义，因为作物在田间经常遇到营养缺乏，对植物对这些条件的反应的更深入了解可能会导致对抗营养缺乏的新策略。这项建议的一个组成部分是培养研究生和本科生的研究能力。该项目将通过一些不同的项目为学生提供获得实验室经验的机会，包括旨在增加妇女和少数民族学生参与科学研究的项目。

Autophagy (meaning 'self-eating') is a process that takes place in animal, plant and fungal cells during starvation and senescence (aging). During this process, cellular components are broken down into smaller molecules as a means to recycle nutrients for re-use by the organism. This degradation takes place inside a cellular compartment called the vacuole. The aim of the proposed research is to determine how components are delivered to the vacuole for degradation during nutrient starvation in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. The mechanism of delivery will be characterized using microscopy together with chemicals that prevent transport. In addition, the function of a gene that is likely to be involved in the transport process will be analyzed using genetic and biochemical approaches. This research is expected to provide insight into the importance of autophagy in the response of plants to nutrient starvation and to elucidate the mechanism of transport of components to the vacuole during autophagy. This will add to our knowledge of a fundamental process that is important in stress responses and disease progression in many different organisms. It also has agricultural implications, as nutrient deficiency is often encountered by crop plants in the field, and a greater understanding of the response of plants to these conditions may lead to new strategies to combat the deficiency. An integral part of this proposal is the training of graduate and undergraduate students in research. This project will provide opportunities for students to gain laboratory experience through a number of different programs, including programs designed to increase the participation of women and minority students in scientific research.