Role of microRNA-related Polymorphisms in Regulating Heterotic Gene Expression

microRNA相关多态性在调节杂种基因表达中的作用

• 批准号: 0922526
• 负责人: Lei Li
• 金额: $ 49.89万
• 依托单位: University of Virginia Main Campus
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-09-15 至 2013-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0922526&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Role; microRNA; related; Polymorphisms; Regulating

PI: Lei Li (University of Virginia)Heterosis (hybrid vigor) refers to the phenomenon that progeny of diverse inbred parent exhibits superior traits to either of the two parents. This phenomenon has been extensively exploited in plant breeding and crop improvement. Although several genetic concepts have long been used to explain heterosis, they are not yet connected with molecular principles and thus offer limited mechanistic insight. The goal of this project is to investigate the role of microRNA-mediated gene circuits, which regulate many plant developmental processes, in heterosis in the rice plant. This work will utilize the rice genome sequences, high throughput experimental techniques, bioinformatic tools, and molecular techniques to examine 1) how microRNA-related polymorphisms between two parental rice strains contribute to differential gene expression in their hybrids, and 2) whether manipulation the expression levels of key microRNA genes impacts heterotic phenotypes. Through this project, a set of microRNA genes and their target genes involved in heterosis will be identified. Knowledge gained from this research should provide a framework necessary to understand the role of microRNA-mediated molecular events in the expression of heterosis and thus a foundation for further engineering the phenomenon in crop improvement. The broader impacts of this project stem in part from the yield advantage and other superior traits of hybrid-based crop production. Understanding the contribution of microRNA-regulated gene circuits to heterosis in the model plant rice is of great importance to food security worldwide. A comprehensive set of experimentally tested microRNA genes in rice will be made available to the public through established microRNA databases (http://microrna.sanger.ac.uk/) and rice annotation databases (http://rice.plantbiology.msu.edu/). Such information will provide new insights into microRNA-mediated gene regulation and add to our general knowledge of plant genome expression and regulation. Given that rice is a model for the grass species, information obtained from this project should facilitate comparative genomics studies aimed at tracing evolution of microRNA-regulated gene circuits in other food, feed and energy crops. The broader impacts of this project also include excellent training opportunities in the interdisciplinary field of plant genomics and bioinformatics. By blending classroom lectures with computational experimentation, information generated from this project will be particularly useful to encourage undergraduate students to actively participate in independent research.

主要研究者：Lei Li（University of Virginia）杂种优势（杂种优势）是指不同自交系亲本的后代表现出优于两个亲本中任何一个的上级性状的现象。这一现象在植物育种和作物改良中得到了广泛的利用。虽然几个遗传概念长期以来一直被用来解释杂种优势，但它们尚未与分子原理联系起来，因此提供的机理见解有限。该项目的目标是研究microRNA介导的基因电路在水稻杂种优势中的作用，这些基因电路调节许多植物发育过程。这项工作将利用水稻基因组序列，高通量实验技术，生物信息学工具和分子技术来研究1）两个亲本水稻品系之间的microRNA相关多态性如何有助于其杂交后代的差异基因表达，以及2）操纵关键microRNA基因的表达水平是否会影响杂种优势表型。通过本项目，将鉴定出一组与杂种优势相关的microRNA基因及其靶基因。从这项研究中获得的知识应该提供一个必要的框架，以了解microRNA介导的分子事件在杂种优势表达中的作用，从而为进一步工程化作物改良中的现象奠定基础。这一项目的广泛影响部分源于杂交作物生产的产量优势和其他上级性状。了解microRNA调节的基因电路对模式植物水稻杂种优势的贡献对于全球粮食安全具有重要意义。通过已建立的microRNA数据库（http：//microrna.sanger.ac.uk/）和水稻注释数据库（http：//rice.plantbiology.msu.edu/），将向公众提供一整套经过实验测试的水稻microRNA基因。这些信息将为microRNA介导的基因调控提供新的见解，并增加我们对植物基因组表达和调控的一般知识。鉴于水稻是禾本科物种的模型，从该项目中获得的信息应有助于比较基因组学研究，旨在追踪其他粮食、饲料和能源作物中microRNA调控基因回路的演变。该项目更广泛的影响还包括在植物基因组学和生物信息学的跨学科领域提供极好的培训机会。通过将课堂讲座与计算实验相结合，该项目产生的信息将特别有助于鼓励本科生积极参与独立研究。