CAREER: Molecular mechanism of Indole-3-butyric acid action in Arabidopsis

“该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案（公法111-5）资助的。“甜菜碱是植物激素，在生长、发育和对环境信号的反应中起重要作用，特别是在根部。吲哚-3-乙酸（IAA）是激素的主要形式。吲哚-3-丁酸（IBA）是一种天然存在的化合物，在植物细胞中转化为IAA，在需要活性激素时提供IAA的来源。 IBA广泛用于园艺，以引发各种植物物种的插条生根。 然而，IBA如何转化为IAA尚不清楚。 本文介绍的研究活动使用生物化学和遗传学方法来确定IBA转化为IAA的机制，并确定IBA在植物生长和发育中的特定作用。鉴定催化这些反应的酶和IBA活性的影响将进一步加深我们对生长素代谢的理解。这些具体的目标将是实现长期目标的第一步，即了解不同IAA代谢途径的重要性、目的和相互作用;这些知识的应用将允许操纵这些途径以增加生根和促进植物生长。 该项目的教育部分包括创建一个基于探究的植物分子生物学实验室，旨在增加本科生研究的机会。本课程的主要目标是通过产生一个动手项目，将吸引和启发学生，以增加学生对科学过程的理解。该提案的研究目标将直接整合到课程中，为学生提供接触现实世界科学的机会，同时促进对IBA代谢的理解。本科生参与者将在当地高中展示他们的工作，从而使下一代学生接触科学研究和未来的机会。

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."Auxins are plant hormones that play important roles in growth, development, and responses to environmental cues, especially in roots. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) is the principal form of the hormone. Indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) is a naturally-occurring compound that is converted to IAA in plant cells, providing a source of IAA when and where the active hormone is required. IBA is used widely in horticulture to initiate rooting in cuttings in a variety of plant species. However, how IBA is converted to IAA is not known. The research activities presented here use biochemical and genetic approaches to determine the mechanism of the IBA-to-IAA conversion and identify the specific roles(s) of IBA in plant growth and development. Identification of the enzymes that catalyze these reactions and the impact of IBA activity will further our understanding of auxin metabolism. These specific aims will be first steps towards the long-term goal of understanding the importance of, purpose for, and interactions between different IAA-metabolic pathways; application of this knowledge will allow manipulation of these pathways to increase rooting and enhance plant growth. The education section of this project includes creation of an inquiry-based plant molecular biology lab, designed to increase opportunities for undergraduate research. The primary objective of this course is to increase student understanding of the scientific process by generating a hands-on project that will engage and enlighten students. Research aims from the proposal will be directly integrated into the course, providing students an exposure to real-world science while advancing the understanding of IBA metabolism. Undergraduate participants will present their work at local high schools, thereby exposing the next generation of students to scientific research and future opportunities.