Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research: A high throughput, quantitative analysis of Arabidopsis pollen tube guidance using a novel microsystem-based assay

PI: Ravishankar Palanivelu；在植物繁殖过程中，来自雌性组织（雌蕊）的信号引导携带精子的花粉管到达卵细胞，实现受精并启动种子发育。这一信号传导过程对包括所有谷物和水果在内的许多作物的生产至关重要，但人们对其了解甚少。该项目将开发用于识别模式植物拟南芥花粉管引导信号的下一代微型装置。现有的花粉管引导生物测定法不够灵敏，无法检测到雌蕊可能产生的微量信号。因此，尽管进行了广泛的研究，但介导这一重要过程的雌蕊信号仍然难以捉摸。微器件已经应用于许多生物领域，可以实现1-1000微米范围内的三维结构，并且可以放大难以检测的生物信号。因此，微系统技术代表了一种完全不同的方法来复制雌蕊微环境的复杂结构，并忠实地再现雌蕊信号微梯度。在工程师和生物学家之间的跨学科合作中，该项目将开发出有史以来第一个基于微系统的检测方法来识别花粉管引导信号。将设计和制造类似拟南芥植物内受精微环境的微型装置，并随后用于定义雌蕊的趋化信号。花粉管引导是植物成功受精和种子形成的关键，识别花粉管引导信号有助于提高人类营养必需作物的种子产量和质量。因此，该项目可能会对全球产生重大影响，因为农作物种子供应了世界上近80%的主食。此外，该项目可能会促进自动化微系统的发展，以前所未有的纳米尺度分辨率研究植物细胞-细胞信号。该项目将促进生物学家和工程师之间的协同互动；本科生将进行部分实验，研究生研究人员将获得跨学科的科学训练。

PI: Ravishankar Palanivelu; Co-PIs: Yitshak Zohar and Linan JiangIOS-1045314Title: EAGER-Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research: A high throughput, quantitative analysis of Arabidopsis pollen tube guidance using a novel microsystem-based assayDuring plant reproduction, signals from female tissues (pistils) guide the sperm-carrying pollen tube to the egg cell to achieve fertilization and initiate seed development. Essential for production of many crops, including all grains and fruits, this signaling process is still poorly understood. This project will develop next-generation microdevices that are necessary for identifying pollen tube guidance signals in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Existing pollen tube guidance bioassays are not sensitive enough to detect the signals that are likely produced in minute quantities by pistils. Consequently, despite extensive research, the pistil signals that mediate this essential process remain elusive. Microdevices have been used in numerous biological applications, can realize 3-D structures ranging from 1-1000 micrometers and can amplify hard to detect biological signals. Thus, microsystem technology represents a radically different approach to replicate the complex configuration of the pistil micro-environment and faithfully recapitulate pistil signal micro-gradients. In an interdisciplinary collaboration between engineers and biologists, this project will develop the first ever microsystem-based assay to identify pollen tube guidance signals. Microdevices will be designed and fabricated to resemble the in-planta micro-environment of A. thaliana fertilization and subsequently used to define chemotropic signals from pistils. Pollen tube guidance leads to successful fertilization and seed formation in plants, and identifying the guidance signals may aid in increasing seed yield and quality of crops essential for human nutrition. Consequently, the project could have a major global impact since seeds of crop plants supply nearly 80% of world's staple food. Furthermore, this project may spur development of automated microsystems for investigating plant cell-cell signaling at an unprecedented nano-scale resolution. This project will promote synergistic interactions between biologists and engineers; undergraduate students will carry out some of the experiments, and post graduate researchers will gain interdisciplinary scientific training.