The Interaction Between RanGAP2 and NB-LRR Proteins in Plant Defense

多细胞生物已经进化出许多不同的策略来保护自己免受潜在病原体的侵害。植物免疫系统的一个分支是通过抗病基因介导的。最常见的抗病基因编码的是NB-LRR蛋白。植物基因组编码数百种不同的NB-LRR蛋白，这些蛋白特异性识别不同的病原体。阐明NB-LRR蛋白如何进化以识别不同病原体的核心是了解这种识别如何在分子水平上发生。研究人员已经确定了一种名为RanGAP2的蛋白质，它与两种名为Rx和Gpa2的马铃薯NB-LRR蛋白相互作用。RanGAP2蛋白似乎分别介导Rx和Gpa2对病毒和线虫的识别。该项目将利用分子生物学、生物化学和遗传学研究RanGAP2如何与NB-LRR蛋白和病原体相互作用。RanGAP2蛋白还参与许多其他细胞功能，研究人员将研究这些功能是否与其在植物防御中的作用有关。后者对于理解植物防御反应具有重要意义，并且在比较免疫学研究中具有更广泛的影响，这些研究旨在制定有关病原体检测系统进化的一般原则。例如，动物拥有被称为nacht - lrr的蛋白质，其结构和功能与植物NB-LRR蛋白惊人地相似。本项目将培养2名博士后和1名研究生。更广泛的影响还包括参加生物教师培训和课程开发研讨会，并为多达六名高中生或本科生提供研究经验。

Multi-cellular organisms have evolved many different strategies to defend themselves against potential pathogens. One branch of the plant immune system is mediated through disease resistance genes. The most common type of disease resistance genes encode what are known as NB-LRR proteins. Plant genomes encode hundreds of different NB-LRR proteins which specifically recognize different pathogens. Central to elucidating how NB-LRR proteins have evolved to recognize different pathogens is the understanding of how this recognition takes place at a molecular level. The investigators have identified a protein known as RanGAP2 that interacts with two potato NB-LRR proteins known as Rx and Gpa2. The RanGAP2 protein appears to mediate recognition by Rx and Gpa2 of a virus and a nematode, respectively. The project will study how RanGAP2 interacts with both the NB-LRR proteins and the pathogens using molecular biology, biochemistry and genetics. The RanGAP2 protein is also involved in numerous other cellular functions and the investigators will investigate whether these functions are related to its role in plant defense. The latter has important implications for understanding plant defense responses as well as having broader impacts in comparative immunological studies geared toward formulating general principles regarding the evolution of pathogen detection systems. For example, animals possess proteins, known as NACHT-LRRs that show striking structural and functional similarities with plant NB-LRR proteins. This project will contribute to the training of two post-doctoral associates and one graduate student. Broader impacts also include participating in biology teacher training and curriculum development workshops and providing research experiences for up to six high school or undergraduate students.