Mitochondrial Cell Death Signaling in S Male-Sterile Maize

在植物和动物中，细胞的受控或程序化死亡是正常发育、疾病和防御反应的核心。尽管程序性细胞死亡很重要，但对植物中的这一过程知之甚少。本项目旨在确定导致玉米花粉遗传控制细胞死亡的分子和细胞事件。一个特定的基因，是母系遗传的线粒体基因组的一部分，被怀疑导致与玉米s型花粉不育相关的细胞死亡。为了明确地确定起作用的基因，佛罗里达大学的研究人员将使用基因转化将可疑或候选基因的产物引入正常玉米花粉的线粒体中。他们期望基因转化花粉的死亡将识别花粉不育特性的基因。为了确定花粉细胞死亡之前是否存在线粒体功能问题，这些研究人员将把保护性基因产物引入s型花粉的线粒体。在这里，他们期望花粉功能的恢复将证实特定线粒体事件与植物细胞程序性死亡之间的联系。班尼特女子学院的合作者将利用基因转化将一种高度调控的细胞死亡基因引入植物细胞培养中，这样细胞死亡事件就可以在实验室中随意诱导和研究。该项目的更广泛的科学影响包括新的工具和见解，以更好地理解和操纵植物改良的细胞死亡途径。教育方面的影响不仅包括在佛罗里达大学培养本科生、研究生和博士后，还包括在班尼特女子学院建立一个涉及本科生的研究项目。贝内特女子学院是历史上仅有的两所招收黑人女性的学院之一。因此，该项目将建立一种遗产，吸引那些代表性不足的群体的学生参与科学进程。

The regulated, or programmed, death of cells is central to normal development, and to disease and defense response, in both plants and animals. Despite the importance of programmed cell death, little is known about this process in plants. This project seeks to identify the molecular and cellular events leading to genetically controlled cell death in maize pollen. A particular gene, part of the maternally inherited mitochondrial genome, is suspected to cause cell death associated with the S-type of pollen sterility in maize. To unequivocally identify the responsible gene, the University of Florida investigators will use genetic transformation to introduce the products of suspect or candidate genes into the mitochondria of normal maize pollen. They expect that the death of the genetically transformed pollen will identify the gene for this pollen sterility trait. To determine whether problems with mitochondrial function precede pollen cell death, these researchers will introduce protective gene products into the mitochondria of S-type pollen. Here, they expect that the rescue of pollen function will confirm links between specific mitochondrial events and programmed cell death in plants. The Bennett College for Women collaborators will use genetic transformation to introduce a highly regulated form of the cell death gene into plant cell cultures, such that cell death events can be induced and studied at will in the laboratory. The broader scientific impacts of this project include new tools and insights to better understand and manipulate cell death pathways for plant improvement. Educational impacts include not only the training of undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students at the University of Florida, but also the establishment of a research program involving undergraduates at Bennett College for Women. Bennett College for Women is one of only two colleges that historically served black women. This project will therefore establish a legacy, engaging students who are members of underrepresented groups in the scientific process.