NPGI: NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2013

本行动资助2013年度美国国家科学基金会国家植物基因组计划生物学博士后研究奖学金。该奖学金支持奖学金获得者在主办实验室的研究和培训计划，该奖学金获得者还提出了扩大生物学参与的计划。罗伯特·l·贝克奖学金的研究和培训计划的标题是“解剖学、作物特定资源分配策略和水利用效率之间的基因组广泛关联”。该奖学金的主办机构是怀俄明大学，赞助科学家是dr。辛西娅·韦宁和布伦特·尤尔斯。气孔导度、水力导度和对根、茎和叶的资源分配是水分利用效率（WUE）的组成部分，是作物产量的关键决定因素。随着人口增长对可用水资源的压力越来越大，了解提高用水效率的解剖和生理变化的遗传基础具有全球意义。历史上，芸苔种植有三个地理中心（欧洲、印度和亚洲），每个中心都包括两种或两种以上的作物类型：西兰花、芜菁、卷心菜和籽油。B. rapa是将解剖学与水分利用模式联系起来的一个很好的模型，因为不同作物类型的收获目标器官不同，它们在器官特异性水分利用和分配方面表现出特征差异。本研究探讨了不同品种拉柏叶、茎和根的遗传结构、资源分配和气体交换。研究包括通过薄切片收集解剖数据，定量整个植物资源分配，以及通过下一代测序开发单核苷酸多态性标记。作物类型之间的遗传距离将测试与根、茎和叶结构的表型矩阵的相关性，以阐明导致作物类型之间光合作用和电导差异的解剖特征。基因组广泛关联研究将用于编目影响感兴趣的解剖表型的特定基因组区域。培训目标包括基因组学、生物信息学和统计遗传学。更广泛的影响包括为本科生开发和实施持久的组织学技术培训平台。与研究生和本科生一对一的工作将提供教学和培训机会，同时完成拟议的研究。

This action funds an NSF National Plant Genome Initiative Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2013. The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow who also presents a plan to broaden participation in biology. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Robert L. Baker is "Genome wide Associations between Anatomy, Crop-specific Resource Allocation Strategies, and Water Use Efficiency." The host institution for the fellowship is the University of Wyoming and the sponsoring scientists are Drs. Cynthia Weinig and Brent Ewers.Stomatal conductance, hydraulic conductance, and resource partitioning to roots, stems, and leaves are components of water-use efficiency (WUE), a critical determinant of crop yield. Understanding the genetic basis of anatomical and physiological changes that improve WUE is relevant globally as human population growth places increasing pressure on available water. Historically, there are three geographic centers of Brassica (B.) rapa cultivation (Europe, India, and Asia), each including two or more crop types: brocolettos, turnips, cabbages, and seed oils. B. rapa is an excellent model to link anatomy to WUE patterns because different organs are targeted for harvest among crop types, which exhibit characteristic differences in organ-specific water use and allocation. This research investigates the genetic architecture of leaf, stem, and root anatomy, resource allocation, and gas exchange in diverse cultivars of B. rapa. The research includes collecting anatomical data through thin sections, quantifying whole-plant resource allocation, and developing single nucleotide polymorphism markers through next-generation sequencing. Genetic distances among crop types will be tested for correlations with phenotypic matrices of root, stem, and leaf structure to elucidate the anatomical features that contribute to differences in photosynthesis and conductance among crop types. Genome wide association studies will be used to catalogue specific genomic regions affecting anatomical phenotypes of interest.Training objectives include genomics, bioinformatics, and statistical genetics. Broader impacts include developing and implementing a durable training platform in histological techniques for undergraduates. One-on-one work with graduate and undergraduate students will provide for teaching and training opportunities while completing the proposed research.