Mechanosensitive Channels and Organelle Morphology

机械敏感通道和细胞器形态

• 批准号: 0816627
• 负责人: Elizabeth Haswell
• 金额: $ 48万
• 依托单位: Washington University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-08-01 至 2012-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0816627&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Mechanosensitive; Channels; Organelle; Morphology

While it has long been appreciated that mechanical stimuli like gravity, touch, and osmotic pressure are important regulators of plant growth and development, the molecular mechanisms by which plant cells perceive mechanical force is not yet understood. In animal and bacterial systems, mechanosensitive (MS) ion channels mediate the perception of many mechanical stimuli. In plants, a family of proteins related to the bacterial MS channel MscS are implicated in mechanosensory signal transduction. In the model flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana, two members of this MscS-Like (MSL) family are targeted to the poles of chloroplasts where they control plastid shape and size. How plastids (or organelles in general) take their shape is an area of recent excitement, and the role that mechanosensory systems might play in such a process has not yet been addressed. The objectives of this project are to: 1) further delineate how and why MSL2 and MSL3 are localized to the poles of plastids; 2) address the evolutionary history of MscS-Like proteins by determining their function in Synechocystis sp. PC6803, cyanobacteria that share a common ancestor with plant chloroplasts, and 3) develop nongreen plastids in Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system for studying organelle morphology control. These studies address two general goals: (i) to further our understanding of plant cell biology and how plants use MS ion channels to sense and respond to important stimuli; and (ii) to advance our knowledge of the basic principles of mechanotransduction and organelle shape determination.Broader impacts. The PI has been involved in women's advocacy for many years, and is strongly committed to expanding opportunities for women and minorities in STEM fields. The Undergraduate Plastid Project will be developed as a platform for undergraduate research, and will be integrated into an existing Pathway for undergraduate studies in imaging technologies at Washington University. A high school teacher-intern will participate in this research program during two consecutive summers, develop innovative curricula, and ultimately benefit the students at his or her school. Finally, a Washington University doctoral student will be provided an important training environment.

虽然人们早就认识到，重力、触觉和渗透压等机械刺激是植物生长发育的重要调节因子，但植物细胞感知机械力的分子机制尚不清楚。在动物和细菌系统中，机械敏感（MS）离子通道介导许多机械刺激的感知。在植物中，一个与细菌质谱通道MscS相关的蛋白家族与机械感觉信号转导有关。在模式开花植物拟南芥中，MscS-Like （MSL）家族的两个成员被定位于叶绿体的两极，在那里它们控制着质体的形状和大小。质体（或一般的细胞器）是如何形成的是最近令人兴奋的一个领域，而机械感觉系统在这一过程中可能发挥的作用尚未得到解决。该项目的目标是：1)进一步描述MSL2和MSL3如何以及为什么定位于质体的两极；2)通过确定其在与植物叶绿体有共同祖先的蓝细菌Synechocystis sp. PC6803中的功能来研究msc样蛋白的进化史；3)在拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）中发育非绿色质体，作为研究细胞器形态控制的模型系统。这些研究有两个总体目标：(i)进一步加深我们对植物细胞生物学的理解，以及植物如何利用质谱离子通道感知和响应重要刺激；（ii）提高我们对机械转导和细胞器形状确定基本原理的认识。更广泛的影响。PI多年来一直参与妇女倡导活动，并坚定地致力于扩大妇女和少数民族在STEM领域的机会。本科质体项目将作为本科研究的平台，并将整合到华盛顿大学成像技术本科研究的现有途径中。一名高中实习教师将在连续两个暑假参与该研究项目，开发创新课程，并最终使他或她学校的学生受益。最后，将为华盛顿大学的博士生提供一个重要的培训环境。