Elucidating molecular mechanisms of the iron deficiency response in plants

阐明植物缺铁反应的分子机制

• 批准号: 1120937
• 负责人: Terri Long
• 金额: $ 58.16万
• 依托单位: North Carolina State 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: 2011-09-01 至 2016-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1120937&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Elucidating; molecular; mechanisms; iron; deficiency

Elucidating molecular mechanisms of the iron deficiency response in plantsIntellectual Merit: The ability to respond to fluctuations in nutritional availability is critical for all living cells. Multicellular organisms can respond to such challenges by altering a number of physiological, developmental and molecular processes that are often controlled at the level of transcription. While conventional molecular biology and physiological approaches have revealed the importance of genes involved in nutrient uptake and transport, few transcriptional regulators have been identified that coordinate organismal responses to nutrient availability. This research focuses on the following questions: What transcription factors regulate the response to iron deprivation in plants? How do these transcription factors interact with each other and other proteins to regulate gene expression? Is there a protein complex that acts as an iron sensing mechanism in plant roots that reacts and leads to the classic response to low iron? Since plant iron transporters translocate other metals nonspecifically, studying this mechanism will further inform us about homeostasis of other metals. Moreover, the protein-protein interactions that we will examine shares features with an iron sensing and response mechanism recently described in mammalian cells and would, therefore, shed new light on conserved iron sensing and response mechanisms. Broader Impacts: Iron deficiency, which causes anemia, is the most prevalent nutritional disorder in the world. Approximately 30% of the world's population is iron deficient, which results in increased maternal mortality and infant loss, impaired growth and cognitive development and decreased immune response. In addition, iron deficiency is a global problem for the growth of major crops grown in calcareous soils. This project proposes to increase our understanding of how plants respond to iron deprivation with the long term goal of producing plants with enhanced nutritional capacity and tolerance of nutrient-poor soils, thus increasing our ability to address increasing global nutritional needs. In addition to agricultural and nutritional contributions, this project will create resources for the scientific community at large, including a new model for how iron content is sensed within cells. Moreover, the project will provide unique research opportunities for students, in particular, underrepresented minority groups attending smaller historically black colleges and universities. Thus, the project will help to increase the dept and breath of molecular and plant biology researchers.

阐明植物缺铁反应的分子机制智力优势：对营养可用性波动作出反应的能力对所有活细胞都至关重要。多细胞生物可以通过改变通常在转录水平上控制的许多生理、发育和分子过程来应对这些挑战。虽然传统的分子生物学和生理学方法已经揭示了参与营养吸收和运输的基因的重要性，但很少有转录调节因子被确定为协调有机体对营养可用性的反应。本研究的重点是以下问题：哪些转录因子调节植物对缺铁的反应？这些转录因子是如何相互作用以及与其他蛋白质相互作用来调节基因表达的？是否有一种蛋白质复合物作为植物根部的铁传感机制，对低铁产生反应并导致经典反应？由于植物铁转运蛋白转运其他金属非特异性，研究这一机制将进一步为我们了解其他金属的稳态。此外，我们将研究的蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用与最近在哺乳动物细胞中描述的铁传感和响应机制具有共同特征，因此，将为保守的铁传感和响应机制提供新的线索。更广泛的影响：缺铁导致贫血，是世界上最普遍的营养失调。世界上大约30%的人口缺铁，这导致孕产妇死亡率和婴儿损失增加，生长和认知发育受损以及免疫反应下降。此外，缺铁是石灰性土壤中生长的主要作物生长的全球性问题。该项目旨在提高我们对植物如何应对缺铁的理解，长期目标是生产具有增强营养能力和对营养贫乏土壤耐受性的植物，从而提高我们应对日益增长的全球营养需求的能力。除了农业和营养方面的贡献外，该项目还将为整个科学界创造资源，包括一个关于细胞内铁含量如何感知的新模型。此外，该项目将为学生提供独特的研究机会，特别是在历史上规模较小的黑人学院和大学就读的代表性不足的少数群体。因此，该项目将有助于提高分子和植物生物学研究人员的深度和广度。