RUI: Role of Rubisco Activase Gene Regulation in Acclimation of Photosynthesis to Heat Stress

RUI：Rubisco 激活酶基因调控在光合作用适应热应激中的作用

• 批准号: 0820877
• 负责人: Benjamin DeRidder
• 金额: $ 14.85万
• 依托单位: Grinnell College
• 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=0820877&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Role; Rubisco; Activase; Gene

High temperature inhibition of photosynthesis is recognized as a primary limitation to the growth and productivity of plants in both agricultural and natural environments. With global temperatures predicted to rise, research aimed at understanding and reducing plant susceptibility to heat stress is likely to have a significant impact on future crop yields. Heat stress appears to inhibit photosynthesis primarily by impairing the activity of Rubisco during the rate-limiting step of carbon assimilation in plants. Rubisco relies on an enzyme called activase to maintain its functional potential. During periods of heat stress, activase loses its ability to sustain Rubisco activity, resulting in decreased rates of photosynthesis and plant growth. There is substantial evidence that photosynthesis can acclimate to long term heat stress and that activase may play a central role in the acclimatory response. However, the basis for heat acclimation of photosynthesis is largely undefined. The current project builds on recent work supporting the involvement of activase gene regulation in the acclimation response. The focus of this research is to address specific questions regarding activase gene expression and protein regulation in plants exposed to elevated temperatures, and to begin to define the role of these regulatory processes in acclimation of photosynthesis to heat stress. Specifically, the project addresses the hypothesis that activase regulation during heat stress is influenced by genetic elements in its 3'-untranslated region, and seeks to evaluate activase protein turnover properties in vivo using a unique approach.Knowledge of the regulatory processes that support activase gene and protein expression during heat stress will greatly facilitate the design of effective strategies to promote heat stress tolerance of photosynthesis in plants, including important crop species. This project will be carried out at Grinnell College in close partnership with a diverse group of undergraduate research students who will participate at all levels in the gathering, analysis and communication of the results of the study. By providing independent research opportunities within a biology curriculum centered on inquiry-based skills, this project will maintain the institution's proven tradition of integrating scientific research into a broad and consequential liberal arts education.

光合作用的高温抑制被认为是农业和自然环境中植物生长和生产力的主要限制。随着全球气温预计将上升，旨在了解和降低植物对热应激敏感性的研究可能会对未来作物产量产生重大影响。热应激似乎主要通过在植物碳同化限速步骤中损害 Rubisco 的活性来抑制光合作用。 Rubisco 依靠一种称为激活酶的酶来维持其功能潜力。在热应激期间，激活酶失去维持 Rubisco 活性的能力，导致光合作用和植物生长速率下降。有大量证据表明光合作用可以适应长期的热应激，并且激活酶可能在适应反应中发挥核心作用。然而，光合作用热驯化的基础在很大程度上尚不明确。当前的项目建立在最近支持激活酶基因调控参与驯化反应的工作的基础上。这项研究的重点是解决有关暴露于高温的植物中激活酶基因表达和蛋白质调节的具体问题，并开始定义这些调节过程在光合作用适应热应激中的作用。具体来说，该项目提出了热应激期间激活酶调节受到其3'非翻译区遗传元件影响的假设，并寻求使用独特的方法评估体内激活酶蛋白周转特性。了解热应激期间支持激活酶基因和蛋白表达的调节过程将极大地促进设计有效策略，以促进植物（包括重要作物物种）光合作用的热应激耐受性。该项目将在格林内尔学院与多元化的本科研究生群体密切合作进行，他们将参与各个级别的研究结果的收集、分析和交流。通过在以探究技能为中心的生物学课程中提供独立研究机会，该项目将保持该机构将科学研究融入广泛而重要的文科教育的成熟传统。