Regulation of nitrogen assimilation in marine diatoms: Investigation of the importance of post-transcriptional processes

海洋硅藻氮同化的调节：转录后过程重要性的研究

• 批准号: 1052078
• 负责人: Deborah Robertson
• 金额: $ 38.54万
• 依托单位: Clark University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-04-01 至 2015-03-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1052078&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Regulation; nitrogen; assimilation; marine; diatoms

Diatoms are unicellular photosynthetic plankton that contribute significantly to global carbon, nitrogen, and silicate biogeochemical cycles. Diatoms are estimated to account for 40% of the carbon fixed in marine ecosystems and 20% of the primary productivity on Earth. They exhibit rapid growth in response to increases in nitrogen availability, which in marine ecosystems, varies over several spatial (meters to kms) and temporal (hours to months) scales. Thus, the productivity and ecological success of diatoms can, in part, be attributed to their ability to rapidly sense and respond to fluctuations in nitrogen source and supply. In all living cells, the regulation of gene expression is a multifaceted and dynamic process. Cells integrate intrinsic and environmental signals into multiple regulatory pathways allowing for coordinated gene expression and cellular function. This project uses molecular approaches to explore the hypothesis that in marine diatoms, post-transcriptional regulation of genes involved in nitrogen transport and assimilation is mediated by changes in messenger RNA stability and allows for rapid metabolic response to changes in nutrient source or supply. The increased availability of diatom genome sequences and advances in DNA transformation capabilities have stimulated biotechnological explorations using diatoms, including both nutritional and industrial applications. The ability to engineer and regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally will aid in the development of new biotechnological tools needed to study and regulate gene expression in diatoms. The research program provides training opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students and a post-doctoral scholar. The project will contribute to teacher training, and thus science education throughout the Worcester community, by working collaboratively with faculty in the Jacob Hiatt Center for Urban Education at Clark University to develop a K-16 "learning progression" exploring climate change while providing enhanced science training to pre- and in-service public school teachers.

硅藻是单细胞光合浮游生物，对全球碳、氮和硅酸盐生态地球化学循环有重要贡献。 据估计，硅藻占海洋生态系统固定碳的40%，占地球初级生产力的20%。 在海洋生态系统中，氮的供应量在几个空间（米到公里）和时间（小时到月）尺度上变化。 因此，硅藻的生产力和生态成功可以部分归因于它们快速感知和响应氮源和供应波动的能力。在所有活细胞中，基因表达的调节是一个多方面的动态过程。 细胞将内在和环境信号整合到多个调节途径中，从而允许协调基因表达和细胞功能。 该项目使用分子方法来探索假设，即在海洋硅藻中，参与氮运输和同化的基因的转录后调节是由信使RNA稳定性的变化介导的，并允许对营养源或供应的变化做出快速代谢反应。硅藻基因组序列的增加和DNA转化能力的进步刺激了利用硅藻的生物技术探索，包括营养和工业应用。 转录后工程和调控基因表达的能力将有助于开发研究和调控硅藻基因表达所需的新生物技术工具。该研究计划为本科生和研究生以及博士后学者提供培训机会。 该项目将有助于教师培训，从而在整个伍斯特社区的科学教育，通过与克拉克大学雅各布·希亚特城市教育中心的教师合作，开发K-16“学习进展”探索气候变化，同时提供增强的科学培训前和在职公立学校教师。