Auxin Signaling in the Early Diverged Land Plant Physcomitrella Patens

Mark Estelle，IOS-0744800，生长素信号在早期分化的陆地植物小立碗藓中的作用。植物生长和发育的许多方面都受到一种称为生长素的激素的调节。植物的特征，如植物的高度，花的发育，果实和种子的发育受到生长素的影响。这种激素通过影响植物细胞的分裂和扩张来调节这些过程。在过去的十年里，我们对生长素信号的理解有了一些重要的进展。然而，仍有许多问题没有得到解答。特别是关于生长素如何影响细胞生长的信息很少。此外，生长素在植物进化过程中的关键事件中的作用在很大程度上是未知的。为了解决这些问题，将进行苔藓小立碗藓的研究。由于苔藓的生长和发育相对于显花植物来说相对简单，因此它们的研究提供了一些重要的优势。此外，苔藓是地球上最早出现的陆地植物之一。因此，了解生长素在展叶商陆中的作用将有助于了解生长素在植物进化中的作用。为了实现这些目标，苔藓基因参与生长素信号将确定其相似性的基础上已知的基因在显花植物。将产生在这些基因中具有突变的苔藓植物，并将分析突变对生长的影响。苔藓植物生长素受体的生化特性将被确定。这些信息将有助于建立生长素受体功能的基本规则。 拟议的项目将在几个领域产生更广泛的影响，如博士后研究员和本科生的培训，参与最大限度地提高学生多样性的倡议，并参与当地社区的推广计划。

Mark Estelle, IOS-0744800, Auxin Signaling in the Early Diverged Land Plant Physcomitrella patens.Many aspects of plant growth and development are regulated by a hormone called auxin. Traits such as plant stature, flower development, and fruit and seed development are influenced by auxin. The hormone regulates these processes by influencing plant cell division and expansion. During the last decade there have been several important advances in our understanding of auxin signaling. However, there are still many unanswered questions. In particular there is little information on how auxin affects cell growth. In addition, the role of auxin in key events during plant evolution is largely unknown. To address these questions, studies of the moss Physcomitrella patens will be conducted. Because growth and development of the mosses is relatively simple compared to flowering plants their study offers some important advantages. In addition, the mosses are some of the earliest land plants to appear on earth. Therefore understanding how auxin works in P. patens will contribute to knowledge of the role of auxin during plant evolution. To achieve these goals, moss genes involved in auxin signaling will be identified based on their similarity to known genes in flowering plants. Moss plants with mutations in these genes will be generated and the effects of the mutations on growth will be analyzed. The biochemical characteristics of auxin receptors from moss will be determined. This information will help to establish fundamental rules for auxin receptor function. The proposed project will have broader impact in several areas such as the training of postdoctoral fellows and undergraduate students, participation of initiatives for maximizing student diversity, and involvement with outreach programs to local communities.