Investigations on the Mechanism of Development of a Novel Form of Photosynthesis

一种新的光合作用形式的发展机制的研究

• 批准号: 1146928
• 负责人: Gerald Edwards
• 金额: $ 44.15万
• 依托单位: Washington State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-08-01 至 2016-07-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1146928&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Investigations; Mechanism; Development; Novel; Form

Intellectual Merit: Photosynthesis, which harvests solar energy and assimilates atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), represents the "engine" of life. Constraints on photosynthesis and plant growth can occur in most land plants where access to CO2 becomes limiting under environmental stress (drought, high temperature, saline soils). Some plants evolved a metabolic pump (called C4) which actively accumulates CO2, conferring an advantage, especially under extreme environments. Prior to the 2001 discovery of species which perform C4 in individual photosynthetic cells, the paradigm for C4 plants was a requirement for cooperative function of two cell types. In contrast, the single-cell C4 species, which have a unique form of carbon acquisition, contain photosynthetic cells with two types of chloroplasts in separate compartments, one supporting the capture of atmospheric CO2, the other functioning in its assimilation into organic matter. Problems to be investigated in this project are identification and characterization of genes and proteins required for the development and function of single-cell C4 photosynthesis. This involves identification of differences in protein composition of the two types of chloroplasts, the nuclear-encoded photosynthetic genes responsible for their synthesis, and the genetic control of chloroplast differentiation. The approach will include use of molecular and microscopic techniques to analyze and identify the products of gene expression leading to development of this form of C4. This project is expected to gain insights into an exceptional mechanism of photosynthesis, and into regulation of biochemical differentiation in cell biology. The research project will also involve an international collaboration with Dr. S. Offermann of Hannover University in Germany, which is sponsored by the International Office of Science and Engineering. This collaboration will provide an international learning experience for the graduate students and will extend the expertise of the US lab. Broader Impacts: The research is expected to contribute new insights that will impact education, future research on photosynthesis, and mechanisms of adaptations in plants. There are potential applications for solving growing global limitations on bio-resources. The single-cell mechanism is an attractive model for developing crops, e.g. rice, with improved productivity, especially under environmental stress.

智力优点：光合作用收集太阳能并吸收大气中的二氧化碳（CO2），代表生命的“引擎”。大多数陆地植物的光合作用和植物生长都会受到限制，在环境胁迫（干旱、高温、盐渍土）下，二氧化碳的获取受到限制。 一些植物进化出了代谢泵（称为 C4），可以主动积累二氧化碳，从而具有优势，尤其是在极端环境下。在 2001 年发现在单个光合细胞中执行 C4 的物种之前，C4 植物的范例是两种细胞类型协同功能的要求。 相比之下，单细胞C4物种具有独特的碳获取形式，其光合细胞在不同的隔室中具有两种类型的叶绿体，一种支持捕获大气中的二氧化碳，另一种则将其同化为有机物。该项目要研究的问题是单细胞 C4 光合作用发育和功能所需的基因和蛋白质的鉴定和表征。 这涉及鉴定两种叶绿体蛋白质组成的差异、负责其合成的核编码光合基因以及叶绿体分化的遗传控制。该方法将包括使用分子和显微镜技术来分析和鉴定导致这种形式的 C4 开发的基因表达产物。 该项目预计将深入了解光合作用的特殊机制以及细胞生物学中生化分化的调节。该研究项目还将涉及与德国汉诺威大学 S. Offermann 博士的国际合作，该项目由国际科学与工程办公室赞助。此次合作将为研究生提供国际学习体验，并将扩展美国实验室的专业知识。更广泛的影响：这项研究预计将贡献新的见解，影响教育、光合作用的未来研究以及植物的适应机制。 解决全球日益增长的生物资源限制有潜在的应用。 单细胞机制是开发农作物的一个有吸引力的模型，例如农作物。水稻，提高生产力，特别是在环境压力下。