Combinatorial Control of Photomorphogenesis by Auxin and Brassinosteroids

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。生命系统如何在复杂和变化的环境中整合信息是生物学的一个中心未解之谜。植物形态随着环境、发育和新陈代谢的变化而不断变化。被称为植物激素的简单化学物质是来自这些不同来源的信息被编码、传输并最终转化为生死决定的手段。光诱导幼苗生长(光形态发生)是生物学中研究最多的过程之一，而植物激素生长素在其调控中起着核心作用。研究人员之前的工作显示，油菜素类固醇，另一类植物激素，调节细胞对生长素的敏感性。这个项目的目标是实现对这两条重要的生长调节途径如何共同发挥作用的机械性理解。研究人员将使用生化、生理和分子遗传学技术，结合高分辨率的延时生长分析，揭示特定的分子相互作用如何导致精确校准的生长控制。生长素和油菜素类固醇及其协调作用在广泛的物种中都有文献记载。这项研究对普通公众的一个可能好处是增加了人类对植物生物量的控制。通过揭示植物生长的主要调控因素，生物量的增加可以在一系列与商业相关的植物中实现，例如关键的农业和生物燃料作物。首席研究员致力于实验室、部门和社区层面的工作，以促进未来科学家的发展和提高科学素养。该项目将为三名研究生和至少六名本科生提供广泛的培训。在首席调查员实验室的头三年里，有七名本科生获得了实践研究经验。在项目研究人员的外展活动中，有几个是华盛顿大学温室和草药花园的讲解员，该花园每年为10,000多名K-12学生、本科生和社区成员举办参观活动。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).How living systems integrate information in complex and changing environments is a central unsolved puzzle of biology. Plant form is continuously modified in response to environmental, developmental, and metabolic cues. Simple chemicals called phytohormones are the means by which information from these diverse sources is encoded, transported, and ultimately translated into life-or-death decisions. Light-directed seedling growth (photomorphogenesis) is one of the best-studied processes in biology, and the phytohormone auxin plays a central role in its regulation. Previous work by the investigators revealed that brassinosteroids, another class of phytohormones, modulate cellular sensitivity to auxin. The goal of this project is to achieve a mechanistic understanding of how these two essential growth-regulatory pathways function together. The investigators will use biochemical, physiological and molecular genetic techniques, in combination with high resolution time-lapse growth analysis, to reveal how specific molecular interactions give rise to exquisitely-calibrated growth control. Auxin and brassinosteroids, and their coordinated action, have been documented in a wide range of species. A likely benefit of this research for the general public is the means to increase human control over plant biomass. By uncovering the master regulators of plant growth, increases in biomass could be engineered in a wide array of commercially-relevant plants, such as key agricultural and biofuel crops. The Principal Investigator is committed to working at the laboratory, department, and community level to foster the development of future scientists and increase scientific literacy. This project will provide broad training for three graduate and at least six undergraduate students. Seven undergraduates have gained hands-on research experience in the laboratory of the Principal Investigator within its first three years. Among the outreach activities of project researchers, several act as docents for the University of Washington Greenhouse and Medicinal Herb Garden, which hosts tours for more than 10,000 K-12 students, undergraduates, and community members every year.