Evolution of regulatory pathways controlling stem cell proliferation

干细胞增殖调控途径的进化干细胞经历自我更新，并产生子细胞，子细胞继续分化成多种细胞类型。刺代表了一个独特的和以前未开发的机会来研究如何在植物中控制干细胞增殖。刺产生于干细胞群体，而不是维持干细胞的命运，失去了增殖能力，最终分化。该项目将研究在荆棘中抑制干细胞增殖的潜在基础。第一个目标集中在分析干细胞身份通路的已知成分，并确定这些通路是否在柑橘（甜橙）和欧洲花楸（金雀花）的刺发育过程中被利用。第二组目标集中在使用高通量转录组分析来鉴定限制柑橘刺干细胞增殖所需的新基因。总之，这些方法应该确定在干细胞增殖到分化的转变中至关重要的新基因和过程。通过比较荆棘中控制干细胞阻滞的过程与其他系统中调节干细胞增殖和阻滞的过程，可以阐明控制干细胞活性的保守途径和发散途径。这一信息对于比较植物干细胞调控与控制哺乳动物干细胞维持和分化的过程也很有价值。此外，该项目将有助于培养少数民族和弱势群体在分子遗传学和发育生物学方面的本科生，从而扩大代表性不足群体对科学研究的参与。

Vivian F. IrishIOS-1020843Evolution of regulatory pathways controlling stem cell proliferationStem cells undergo self-renewal as well as producing daughter cells that go on to differentiate into multiple cell types. Thorns represent a unique and previously unexplored opportunity to examine how stem cell proliferation is controlled in plants. Thorns arise from populations of stem cells that, instead of maintaining a stem cell fate, lose their proliferative capacity and terminally differentiate. This project will examine the underlying basis for the arrest of stem cell proliferation in thorns. The first set of goals focus on analyzing known components of the stem cell identity pathway, and determining if these pathways have been utilized during thorn development in Citrus sinensis (sweet orange) and Ulex europaeus (gorse). The second set of goals focus on using high throughput transcriptome analyses to identify novel genes required for restricting stem cell proliferation in Citrus sinensis thorns. Together, these approaches should identify new genes and processes that are critical in the transition from stem cell proliferation to differentiation. By comparing the processes controlling stem cell arrest in thorns to those regulating stem cell proliferation and arrest in other systems, the conserved, as well as divergent, pathways that control stem cell activity can be elucidated. This information will also be valuable in comparing plant stem cell regulation with the processes controlling mammalian stem cell maintenance and differentiation. In addition, this project will serve to train minority and disadvantaged undergraduate students in molecular genetics and developmental biology, thus broadening the participation of underrepresented groups in scientific research.