Collaborative Research: Integrating iron uptake and distribution in plants

铁是一种必需的营养素，从饮食中积累铁的能力对人体健康至关重要。目前，因微量营养素缺乏而营养不良的人数多于因蛋白质或能量缺乏而营养不良的人数，据估计，全世界有20多亿人缺铁。在农业中，土壤中铁的有效性在决定作物产量方面起着重要作用。此外，植物是世界上大部分人口铁的主要膳食来源。然而，铁也可以是有毒的植物和动物，当存在于高水平。因此，所有细胞都必须仔细调节铁的摄取。这些研究的长期目标是了解植物如何从土壤中吸收铁，以及植物如何在植物的各种细胞/组织中保持适当的铁水平。结合遗传，分子和生物化学的方法将被用来解决两个主要的开放问题，在植物铁代谢。首先，将进行实验以阐明铁转移到线粒体的分子机制。第二，将进行实验以破译植物缺铁信号反应途径中涉及的机制。拟议的研究将最终导致更好地了解植物中的铁吸收，并设计能够在缺铁土壤上生长并积累铁从而具有更高营养价值的植物。这个合作项目将提供独特的指导机会。由于南加州大学生物系有大量的少数民族学生，拟议的研究项目有可能增加这些代表性不足的群体在科学领域的代表性。南加州大学和达特茅斯之间的交流计划将建立，将允许有前途的年轻南加州大学本科生体验在盖里诺和康诺利实验室的研究。第一代，低收入的本科生来自科学代表性不足的群体，将被招募和最新的基因组，分子和生物化学方法的培训。

Iron is an essential nutrient and the ability to accumulate iron from the diet is crucial for human health. Currently, more people suffer from malnutrition due to micronutrient deficiencies than from deficiencies of protein or energy and it is estimated that over 2 billion people worldwide suffer from iron deficiency. In agriculture, the availability of iron in soil plays a major part in determining crop yields. In addition, plants are the main dietary source of iron for much of the world's population. However, iron can also be toxic to both plants and animals when present at high levels. Thus, all cells must carefully regulate iron uptake. The long-range goal of these studies is to understand how plants take up iron from the soil and how plants maintain proper iron levels in the various cells/tissues of the plant. A combined genetic, molecular and biochemical approach will be used to address two major open questions regarding iron metabolism in plants. First, experiments will be conducted to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying iron transfer to mitochondria. Second, experiments will be conducted to decipher the mechanisms involved in plant iron deficiency signaling response pathways. The proposed studies will ultimately lead to a better understanding of iron uptake in plants and to the design of plants that are capable of growth on iron deficient soils and that accumulate iron and thus have a higher nutritional value. This collaborative project will provide unique mentoring opportunities. Because the Biology Dept at USC has a large number of minority students, the proposed research project has the potential for increasing representation in the sciences by these underrepresented groups. An exchange program between USC and Dartmouth will be established that will allow promising young USC undergraduates to experience research in both the Guerinot and Connolly labs. First-generation, low-income undergraduate students from groups under-represented in the sciences will be recruited and trained in the latest genomic, molecular and biochemical methods.