Transferring Research from a Model System to Uncover the Network that Regulates Long-Distance Signaling in Potato

PI: David Hannapel（爱荷华州立大学），CoPIs: Aragula G. Rao（爱荷华州立大学），Jeff Coller（凯斯西储大学），William J. Lucas（加州大学戴维斯分校）植物感知外部信号，激活控制其防御和生长的途径。日光或光周期的长度是调节生长过程的关键信号，如许多植物的开花和马铃薯的块茎形成。马铃薯块茎的形成涉及光激活信号从叶片到地下器官——马铃薯块茎的运输。该项目的总体科学目标是研究负责控制块茎形成的信号范围。参与这一过程的信号包括蛋白质和RNA。本项目将解决两个研究目标：1)鉴定和表征马铃薯从叶片到地下块茎运输的rna； 2)鉴定与rna一起促进这种运输的蛋白质。将采用几种方法来实现这些研究目标，包括系统地表征该运输系统中存在的rna和蛋白质网络。蛋白质和rna将被识别并测试它们在这个信号系统中的功能。该项目的主要目标是了解这些信号是如何调控块茎形成的。这项研究活动的效用在于，这些实验产生的信息将直接应用于提高作物生产力。这项研究活动所产生的更广泛的科学影响是固有的，它增强了我们对植物如何利用光信号来控制它们的生长，以及对农艺作物来说，如何影响它们的产量的理解。这个项目的一个重要组成部分是教育和推广的特点。教育部分将通过暑期实习计划实施，该计划将为高中生和本科生提供参与植物生物学项目的机会。作为拓展培训的一部分，还将为高中生物教师提供暑期实习机会。这些教师将与爱荷华州立大学、加州大学戴维斯分校或凯斯西储分校的项目负责人合作，学习更多关于植物生物学的知识。通过针对每年最多可教100名学生的高中教师，该计划的影响将大大扩大，并将履行国家科学基金的主要使命；向社会传达当前植物生物学研究成果的重要性。该项目的国际部分将扩大通过这一倡议提供的培训的广度，并提高全球对这项研究所解决的科学挑战的认识。该项目为妇女和代表性不足的群体提供了参与实验室研究的充分机会。项目成果将通过项目网站提供给科学界，该网站可通过http://www.hort.iastate.edu/research/research-detail.php?id=1148访问。

PI: David Hannapel (Iowa State University)CoPIs: Aragula G. Rao (Iowa State University), Jeff Coller (Case Western Reserve University), William J. Lucas (University of California, Davis)Plants perceive outside signals that activate pathways to control their defenses and growth. The length of daylight or photoperiod is a key signal that regulates growth processes like flowering in many plants and tuber formation in potato. Tuber formation in potato involves the transport of a light-activated signal from the leaf to the underground organ, the potato tuber. The overall scientific objective of this project is to study the range of signals that are responsible for controlling tuber formation. Signals involved in this process include both proteins and RNA. Two research goals will be addressed in this project: 1) To identify and characterize RNAs of potato that are transported from the leaf to the underground tuber and 2) To identify proteins that work with the RNAs to facilitate this transport. Several approaches will be undertaken to implement these research goals, including the systematic characterization of the network of RNAs and proteins present in this transport system. Proteins and RNAs will be identified and tested for their function in this signaling system. The primary goal of this project is to understand how this collection of signals regulates tuber formation. The utility of this research activity is that the information generated by these experiments will have direct applications for enhancing crop productivity. The broader scientific impacts resulting from this research activity are inherent in the enhancement of our understanding of how plants use light signals to control their growth and, for agronomic crops, to affect their yield. A significant component of this project is the educational and outreach features. The educational component will be implemented through the Summer Internship program that will provide high school and undergraduate students with the opportunity to participate in plant biology projects. As a component of outreach training, summer internships for high school biology teachers will also be offered. These teachers will work with project leaders on the Iowa State, UC-Davis, or Case Western Reserve campuses to learn more about plant biology. By targeting high school teachers who may teach up to 100 students a year, the influence of this program will be greatly expanded and will fulfill a primary mission of NSF; to communicate to society the significance of the outcomes of current research in plant biology. The international component of this project will expand the breadth of training available through this initiative and enhance global awareness of the scientific challenges addressed in this research. This project includes ample opportunities for participation by women and underrepresented groups in laboratory research. Project outcomes will be made available to the scientific community through a project website, which will be accessible via http://www.hort.iastate.edu/research/research-detail.php?id=1148.