Evolution of the Land Plant Cell Wall: Functional Significance of Land Plant Polymers within the Charophycean Green Algae

Michael R. Gretz和大卫S. DomozychIOS-0848071 陆生植物细胞壁的进化：轮藻绿色藻类中陆生植物聚合物的功能意义陆生植物的细胞壁是一个复杂的网络，主要由多糖和蛋白质构成，它与形状和形态的发育密切相关，并具有基本功能，如维持结构完整性、细胞间通讯、信号转导、粘附和物理/化学防御。大约4.7亿年前，陆地植物从一群被称为轮藻纲绿色藻类（CGA）的淡水绿色藻类祖先中进化而来。该项目的总体目标是了解CGA细胞壁（CW）聚合物对陆地植物成功至关重要的功能，并确定导致这一结果的进化序列。该项目将采用现代高通量糖组学方法，碳水化合物生物化学，特定聚合物的显微镜映射，以及遗传数据的检查，以确定陆地植物的CW和CGA之间的共性。该项目将对陆地植物从绿色藻类祖先的进化、CW聚合物的进化以及特定CW聚合物在特定植物组织发育中的作用产生重要的见解。CGA CW组件的结构和功能的描述将提供必要的关键信息，了解和潜在的修改，陆地植物细胞壁，以促进生物燃料生产。该项目还将有助于识别独特的化合物，并有助于我们全面了解化学武器成分在农作物、药品、食品添加剂和其他产品中的重要性。参与这项研究的学生将通过与丹麦哥本哈根大学的互动，获得关于国际，合作，团队为基础的科学努力的独特视角。一个专门针对密歇根州上半岛和纽约东北部的中小学生的推广计划将吸引新一代的年轻人从事生物学职业，并教育公众了解细胞壁产品的日常意义。

Michael R. Gretz and David S. DomozychIOS-0848071 Evolution of the Land Plant Cell Wall: Functional Significance of Land Plant Polymers within the Charophycean Green Algae The cell wall of land plants is an intricate network, constructed primarily of polysaccharides and proteins, that is intimately involved in the development of shape and form, and in essential functions such as maintenance of structural integrity, cell-cell communication, signal transduction, adhesion and physical/chemical defense. Land plants evolved approximately 470 million years ago from an ancestral pool of freshwater green algae known as the charophycean green algae (CGA). The overall goal of the project is to understand the function of CGA cell wall (CW) polymers critical to success of land plants, and to determine the evolutionary sequence that led to this result. The project will employ modern high-throughput glycomics methods, carbohydrate biochemistry, microscopy-based mapping of specific polymers, and examination of genetic data to determine commonalities between the CW of land plants and the CGA. The project will yield critical insight into the evolution of land plants from green algal ancestors, the evolution of CW polymers, and the role of specific CW polymers in the development of specific plant tissues. Delineation of the structure and function of CGA CW components will provide pivotal information necessary for understanding, and potentially modifying, land plant cell walls to facilitate biofuel production. The project will also contribute to identification of unique compounds and our overall understanding of the importance of CW components in agricultural crops, pharmaceuticals, food additives and other products. Student participants in this research will be afforded a unique perspective on international, cooperative, team-based scientific endeavors through interactions with the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. A dedicated outreach program to middle and elementary school students from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and Northeastern New York will attract a new generation of young people to careers in biology and educate the public as to the everyday significance of products derived from cell walls.