Functional roles of FERONIA, LORELEI and relative proteins in regulating pollen-pistil interaction

FERONIA、LORELEI 及相关蛋白在调节花粉-雌蕊相互作用中的功能作用

• 批准号: 1147165
• 负责人: Alice Cheung
• 金额: $ 68万
• 依托单位: University of Massachusetts Amherst
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2012
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2012-03-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1147165&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Functional; roles; FERONIA; LORELEI; relative

Pollen-pistil interaction is a general term referring to a large number of male (pollen) and female (pistil) interactive events in flowering plants that together lead to seed production. Fertilization depends on growth of the pollen tube within the pistil to deliver sperm, which the pollen tube carries as cargo in its cytoplasm, to the female apparatus, known as the female gametophyte, where the egg cell resides. Upon penetrating the female gametophyte, the pollen tube bursts discharging sperm, enabling fertilization while late-arriving tubes are prevented from entering the already-visited female. The goal of this project is to reveal the mystery behind how these intriguing male-female interactive processes are accomplished. This project takes advantage of the excellent plant model system Arabidopsis, in particular two already characterized mutants defective in the proteins called FERONIA (a Roman goddess of fertility and abundance) [FER] and LORELEI (LRE) (the Germanic mermaid who lured sailors to shipwreck). Loss of these proteins results in multiple pollen tubes being lured into the mutant female, but instead of bursting these pollen tubes continue to grow on a wandering journey inside the female, not discharging their sperm, resulting in a sterile interaction incapable of producing seeds. This project combines molecular genetics, biochemical and cell biological approaches to determine how FER and LRE together generate the female environment capable of mediating a productive male-female encounter. The knowledge obtained will explain a major step used by a plant to produce seeds and will help development of strategies to ascertain preservation and diversification of plant species and ensure production of earth?s major food source, seeds. The project will therefore significantly serve the public?s interests. Broader impact. By providing training at the doctoral and postdoctoral, this project prepares future leaders in science. Parts of this project are designed to provide research experience to undergraduates, thus broadening the pipeline for future scientists at an early stage. On an even more fundamental level, the project will also create opportunities for hands-on experimentation for high school teachers to extend/renew their classroom and laboratory resources.

花粉-雌蕊相互作用是指开花植物中大量雄性（花粉）和雌性（雌蕊）相互作用事件的总称，这些事件共同导致种子产生。受精取决于雌蕊内花粉管的生长，以将精子运送到被称为雌配子体的雌性器官中，精子作为其细胞质中的货物运送到卵细胞所在的雌性器官中。在穿透雌配子体时，花粉管破裂释放精子，使受精成为可能，而晚到的花粉管被阻止进入已经访问过的雌性。这个项目的目标是揭示这些有趣的男女互动过程背后的奥秘是如何完成的。该项目利用了优秀的植物模型系统拟南芥，特别是两个已经表征的蛋白质缺陷突变体称为FERONIA（生育和丰富的罗马女神）[FER]和LORELEI（LRE）（德国美人鱼谁引诱水手沉船）。这些蛋白质的丢失导致多个花粉管被引诱到突变体雌性中，但这些花粉管并没有破裂，而是继续在雌性体内漫游，不排出精子，导致不育的相互作用，不能产生种子。该项目结合了分子遗传学、生物化学和细胞生物学方法，以确定FER和LRE如何共同产生能够介导富有成效的男女相遇的女性环境。所获得的知识将解释一个主要步骤所使用的植物生产种子，并将有助于发展战略，以确保保护和多样化的植物物种，并确保生产的地球？它的主要食物来源是种子。因此，该项目将大大服务于公众？的利益。更广泛的影响。通过提供博士和博士后培训，该项目为未来的科学领导者做好准备。该项目的部分内容旨在为本科生提供研究经验，从而在早期阶段为未来的科学家拓宽渠道。在更基本的层面上，该项目还将为高中教师创造动手实验的机会，以扩大/更新他们的教室和实验室资源。