The Role of P-Proteins in Plant Insect Interaction

光合作用合成的糖必须分布在整个植物体内。它们对所有细胞都至关重要，因为它们是植物生命的主要能源。负责植物内部分布的系统是韧皮部，它由管状细胞组成，在植物体内形成微流体网络。由于其含糖量高，韧皮部是蚜虫和粉虱等害虫的主要目标。目前，这种害虫对农作物的侵扰造成了巨大的经济损失和对杀虫剂的依赖。然而，越来越多的消费者对食品中出现的农药感到担忧。许多研究表明，农药残留是常见的，而不是例外的。例如，在华盛顿州的苹果样本中，84%的杀虫剂检测呈阳性；在某些情况下，杀虫剂的水平如此之高，以至于一个儿童食用半个苹果就会超过每天安全接触的水平。为了减少农药接触，需要制定新的战略。最近，人们发现了一些蛋白质小体，这些蛋白质小体在受到伤害时可逆地封闭韧皮部细胞。到目前为止，只在豆类植物中发现了这种类型的蛋白体。利用分子、显微和生物化学方法对反应的机理和控制进行研究。此外，还将研究类似的机制是否出现在其他植物家族中，以及这些机制是否可以用于诱导对韧皮部取食昆虫高度敏感的植物的抗性。这些新战略有可能大幅减少现代农业目前所需的杀虫剂数量。通过培训本科生和研究生使用显微镜研究韧皮部运输和韧皮部昆虫相互作用的机制，预计会产生更广泛的影响。

Sugars synthesized by photosynthesis have to be distributed over the entire plant body. They are crucial for all cells, since they represent the primary energy source for plant life. The system responsible for distribution within plants is the phloem which consists of tube like cells that form a microfluidic network within the plant body. Due to its high content of sugar, the phloem is a primary target for pests like aphids and mealybugs. Currently, infestation of crop plants by such pests causes substantial economic damage and the dependence on pesticides. An increasing number of consumers, however, are concerned about the occurrence of pesticides in food. Numerous studies have demonstrated that pesticide residues are common rather than exceptional. For example, in a sampling of apples in Washington State, 84% tested positive for pesticides; in some cases, levels were so high that a child consuming half an apple would exceed the daily safe exposure level. In order to reduce pesticide exposure, new strategies need to be developed. Recently protein bodies have been discovered which reversibly occlude phloem cells in case of injury. This type of protein body has only been found to date in bean plants. Using molecular, microscopic, and biochemical methods the mechanism and control of the reaction will be investigated. In addition it will be investigated if similar mechanisms occur in other plant families, and if those mechanisms can be used to induce resistance in plants which have high susceptibility to phloem feeding insects. These new strategies carry the potential to dramatically reduce the amount of insecticides currently required in modern agriculture. Additional broader impacts are expected through training of undergraduate and graduate students on the use of microscopy to study the mechanism of phloem transport and phloem insect interactions