Regulation of a Resistance Gene by BON1 in Arabidopsis

在没有病原体入侵的情况下，植物主动抑制防御反应，以最大化其生长和繁殖。这种抑制的分子机制尚不清楚。在拟南芥中，一个进化上保守的BON1基因已被确定为防御反应和细胞死亡的负调节因子。这种抑制涉及一种抗病(R)基因的调控，该基因对植物防御反应的特异性决定至关重要。BON1如何抑制涉及R基因SNC1的防御反应将在本研究中得到解决。通过分离BON1家族突变体的天然修饰因子，将鉴定BON1家族功能的其他靶基因。介导BON1防御调控的成分将通过BON1增强子和抑制子筛选分离出来。这是首次对植物寄主基因对防御反应的抑制进行遗传和分子解剖的研究之一。它将阐明在R基因水平上，细胞内平衡失衡或生长发育障碍诱导防御反应的机制。此外，在拟南芥中发现的BON1的作用将作为其copine同源物在动物中的功能模型，从而增强我们对人类copine相关生物过程的理解。这个项目将对教育、推广和科学产生广泛的影响。对防御反应抑制的研究可能会为我们提供新的手段，以产生或培育具有所需生长和防御特性的植物，从而以可持续的方式改善粮食和能源生产。研究生和博士后将被培养为下一代科学家。产生的结果将通过期刊出版物和会议出版社传播

Plants actively repress defense responses in the absence of pathogen invasion to maximize their growth and reproduction. The molecular mechanisms underlying this repression are not well understood. An evolutionarily conserved BON1 gene in Arabidopsis has been identified as a negative regulator of defense responses and cell death. This repression involves the regulation of one of the disease resistance (R) genes that are central for the specificity determination of defense responses in plants. How BON1 represses defense responses involving the R gene SNC1 will be addressed in this study. Additional target genes of the BON1 family function will be identified through isolating natural modifiers of the BON1 family mutant. Components mediating the BON1 regulation of defense will be isolated through bon1 enhancer and suppressor screens.This is one of the first studies to genetically and molecularly dissect the repression of defense responses by plant host genes. It will shed light on the mechanisms underlying the induction of defense responses at the R gene level by an imbalance of cellular homeostasis or impairment in growth and development. Furthermore, the role of BON1 uncovered in Arabidopsis will serve as a model for functions of its copine homologs in animals, and thus enhance our understanding of copine-involved biological processes in humans.This project will have broad impacts on education, outreach and science. The study of repression of defense responses will likely provide us with new means to generate or breed plants with desired growth and defense features, thus improving food and energy production in a sustainable way. Graduate students and postdocs will be trained as the next generation of scientists. Results generated will be disseminated through journal publication and conference pres