Collaborative Research: Functional Characterization of Diphospho- and Triphospho-Inositol Phosphates in Plants

一组新的由肌醇连接到多个磷酸基团的化合物在许多不同类型的生物体的新陈代谢和应激反应中发挥着关键作用。初步数据显示，这些化合物(这里称为PPX-Insps)也存在于植物中，但对它们的合成和潜在功能知之甚少。这项研究将验证PPX-Insps作为植物新陈代谢和逆境传感器的假设，并对种子发育和生长过程中的基本代谢起关键作用。为了验证这些假设，该项目将1)鉴定并准确测量植物组织中PPX-Insps的浓度；2)鉴定和表征调节PPX-Insps水平的植物酶；以及3)表征在调节PPX-Insps水平的酶中含有遗传变化的植物的逆境反应。这个合作项目的长期目标是了解这些独特的PPX-Insp分子是如何在植物中调节的，以及它们如何帮助控制新陈代谢、植物压力和磷酸盐感觉。该项目将支持三名研究生、一名博士后和一批本科生的教育和培训。三位合作者(在大学和美国农业部的一个研究实验室任职)的不同兴趣和背景为协同互动提供了独特的机会。实验室之间将交换研究人员(包括博士后研究员和学生)，提供接触不同研究项目的机会和在大型研究团队工作的经验。这个团队的成员将参加两个旨在促进青年科学家发展的项目。在一个项目(植物研究和教育伙伴关系，简称PREP)中，这项研究将通过捐赠该项目的植物品系，并与PREP工作人员和高中生一起开展探究性学习项目，将研究整合到高中科学课程中。在第二个项目中，研究团队将开发并参与每年在弗吉尼亚理工大学举行的儿童科技大学的400多名小学生的动手活动。

A novel set of compounds that consist of inositol linked to multiple phosphate groups play critical roles in the metabolism and stress responses of many different types of organisms. Preliminary data reveal that these compounds (here called PPx-InsPs) are also present in plants, but very little is known about their synthesis and potential functions. This research will test the hypotheses that PPx-InsPs act as sensors of metabolism and stress in plants, and are critical for basic metabolism during seed development and growth. To test these hypotheses this project will 1) identify and accurately measure the concentrations of PPx-InsPs in plant tissues; 2) identify and characterize plant enzymes that regulate the levels of PPx-InsPs; and 3) characterize the stress responses of plants that contain genetic alterations in the enzymes that regulate the levels of PPx-InsPs. The long-term goals of this collaborative project are to understand how these unique PPx-InsP molecules are regulated in plants and how they help control metabolism, plant stress and phosphate sensing.Broader Impacts. This project will support the education and training of three graduate students, one postdoctoral fellow, and a number of undergraduate students. The diverse interests and backgrounds of the three collaborators (who serve at universities and a USDA research laboratory) offer unique opportunities for synergistic interactions. An exchange of investigators (including postdoctoral fellows and students) will occur between laboratories, providing exposure to different research programs and the experience of working in a large research team. Members of this team will participate in two programs designed to foster the development of young scientists. In one program (Partnership for Research and Education in Plants, or PREP) the research will be integrated into the high school science curriculum by donating plant strains from this project and by working with PREP staff and high school students in inquiry-based learning projects. In the second program, the research team will develop and participate in hands-on activities with over 400 elementary school students in the Kid's Tech University which is held at Virginia Tech each year.