Sequence Requirements for Small RNA Targeting in Plants

植物中小 RNA 靶向的序列要求

• 批准号: 1121438
• 负责人: Michael Axtell
• 金额: $ 52.5万
• 依托单位: Pennsylvania State Univ University Park
• 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: 2011-11-01 至 2015-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1121438&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Sequence; Requirements; Small; RNA; Targeting

Intellectual Merit: Every cell in a given organism contains exactly the same DNA genome, yet the organism contains many cell types that are differentiated and highly specialized for certain functions. The functional differences between various cell types with the same genome are dictated by the subset of DNA-encoded genes that are activated (turned on) or silenced (turned off). The control of gene expression (on or off) thus plays a fundamental role in shaping cellular function in complex organisms. One type of gene expression control mechanism is directed by small regulatory RNAs. Small RNAs function to identify target RNAs in the cell by RNA-RNA complementarity. Essentially, if a given small RNA has a good match in sequence to a given target RNA, that target RNA will be prevented from being utilized further, and expression of the target gene will be turned off. Small RNA-based methods of gene expression control are prominent in plants, play important roles in normal plant growth and agricultural productivity, and can be exploited in biotechnological applications where control of gene expression is desirable. This project is seeking to understand the rules by which small RNAs recognize their targets in plants. The project specifically will examine the extent and configuration of matching RNA bases required to allow small RNAs to recognize and regulate their targets in plants. The outcome of this project will be a much more complete understanding of how the small RNA-mediated gene expression system is able to discriminate its handful of target RNAs from the thousands of non-target RNAs present in the cell. Broader Impacts: Small RNAs are known to control key aspects of plant growth development, many of them with agricultural significance in crop plants. Small RNAs also dictate the repression of vast portions of plant genomes comprised of parasitic, so-called junk DNA. Manipulation of small RNAs already plays a key role in many plant biotechnology applications, but without a thorough understanding of how small RNAs work, these applications are limited. The understanding of small RNA target identification provided by this project should enhance such applications. This project also involves training of scientists, a critical national goal, both at the Ph.D. level and undergraduate level. One of the project goals will be used as a springboard for developing a new laboratory course in RNA Biology at Pennsylvania State University, thus enhancing scientific literacy and education of these students.

智力优势：给定生物体中的每个细胞都包含完全相同的DNA基因组，但生物体包含许多细胞类型，这些细胞类型是分化的，并且高度专门化以实现某些功能。 具有相同基因组的各种细胞类型之间的功能差异由激活（打开）或沉默（关闭）的DNA编码基因的子集决定。 因此，基因表达的控制（开或关）在复杂生物体中塑造细胞功能方面发挥着重要作用。 一种类型的基因表达控制机制是由小调控RNA指导的。 小RNA的功能是通过RNA-RNA互补性识别细胞中的靶RNA。 基本上，如果给定的小RNA在序列上与给定的靶RNA具有良好的匹配，则该靶RNA将被阻止进一步利用，并且靶基因的表达将被关闭。 基于小RNA的基因表达控制方法在植物中是突出的，在正常植物生长和农业生产力中起重要作用，并且可以在需要控制基因表达的生物技术应用中开发。 该项目旨在了解小RNA在植物中识别其靶标的规则。 该项目将专门研究允许小RNA识别和调节其在植物中的靶标所需的匹配RNA碱基的范围和配置。 该项目的结果将是对小RNA介导的基因表达系统如何能够将其少数靶RNA与细胞中存在的数千种非靶RNA区分开的更完整的理解。更广泛的影响：已知小RNA控制植物生长发育的关键方面，其中许多在作物中具有农业意义。 小RNA还决定了植物基因组中大部分由寄生的所谓垃圾DNA组成的抑制。 小RNA的操纵已经在许多植物生物技术应用中发挥了关键作用，但如果没有对小RNA如何工作的透彻理解，这些应用是有限的。 该项目提供的对小RNA靶点识别的理解应该会增强这种应用。 该项目还涉及科学家的培训，这是一个重要的国家目标，无论是在博士学位。水平和本科水平。该项目的目标之一将被用作跳板，在宾夕法尼亚州立大学开发一个新的实验室课程，在RNA生物学，从而提高科学素养和教育的这些学生。