Transcriptional Nodes Coordinate Patterning and Cellular Proliferation during Carpel Margin Meristem Development

转录节点协调心皮边缘分生组织发育过程中的模式化和细胞增殖

• 批准号: 1355019
• 负责人: Robert Franks
• 金额: $ 77.18万
• 依托单位: North Carolina State University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-03-01 至 2019-02-28
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1355019&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Transcriptional; Nodes; Coordinate; Patterning; Cellular

During the development of a seedpod, the cellular and molecular interactions that allow productive seed development are extremely complex and dynamic. Within a developing seedpod, cells must interpret and respond to numerous cues that coordinate positional information with gene expression and cellular proliferation to allow the proper development of seeds. Furthermore, this coordination of patterning cues and cellular proliferation underlies many diverse biological processes, from cancerous growth to reproductive development, and thus is of interest to a broad spectrum of biologists. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that coordinate these processes in plants are also of practical importance, and are the basis for improving agricultural production.In this project, Dr. Franks and colleagues will investigate the molecular interactions that allow seeds to develop within the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana. By understanding these molecular mechanisms Dr. Franks' group seeks to enable future strategies to alter seed number in agricultural or bioenergy crops thus support efforts to supply food and fuel for a growing global population. His efforts focus on defining the gene regulatory hierarchy that controls the development of the specialized tissue that generates the ovules within the seedpod (i.e. the carpel margin meristem). A multidisciplinary integration of genetic, genomic and bioinformatic approaches will be applied to achieve these goals. Furthermore, this study introduces a novel application of cell-sorting technology to the study of the seedpod allowing his group to assay cellular transcriptional states at an unprecedented level of specificity. Additionally, Dr. Franks' group creates and presents hands-on science demonstrations and educational science videos at North Carolina middle schools. By engaging students and teachers at these grade school outreach events, as well as via the training of scientists at varied levels and from diverse backgrounds, Dr. Franks' group works to create a scientifically well-educated community.

在种荚的发育过程中，允许生产性种子发育的细胞和分子相互作用是极其复杂和动态的。在发育中的种荚内，细胞必须解释并响应许多线索，这些线索将位置信息与基因表达和细胞增殖协调起来，以允许种子的适当发育。此外，这种模式线索和细胞增殖的协调是许多不同生物过程的基础，从癌细胞生长到生殖发育，因此引起了广泛的生物学家的兴趣。了解植物中协调这些过程的分子机制也具有实际意义，是提高农业生产的基础。在这个项目中，Franks博士和同事将研究开花植物拟南芥中允许种子发育的分子相互作用。通过了解这些分子机制，弗兰克斯博士的研究小组试图使未来的战略能够改变农业或生物能源作物的种子数量，从而支持为不断增长的全球人口提供食物和燃料的努力。他的工作重点是确定基因调控层次，控制专门的组织，产生胚珠内的豆荚（即心皮边缘分生组织）的发展。将采用遗传学、基因组学和生物信息学方法的多学科整合来实现这些目标。此外，这项研究介绍了一种新的应用细胞分选技术的研究，使他的小组，以前所未有的特异性水平测定细胞的转录状态的豆荚。此外，弗兰克斯博士的小组在北卡罗来纳州中学制作并展示了动手科学演示和教育科学视频。通过让学生和教师参与这些小学外展活动，以及通过培训不同层次和不同背景的科学家，弗兰克斯博士的小组致力于创建一个受过良好科学教育的社区。