Research-PGR: Gene Regulatory Networks Required to Make a Soybean Seed

研究-PGR：制造大豆种子所需的基因调控网络

• 批准号: 1546806
• 负责人: Robert Goldberg
• 金额: $ 515.41万
• 依托单位: University of California-Los Angeles
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2016-09-15 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1546806&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Research; PGR; Gene; Regulatory; Networks

During the next 50 years we will need to produce more food than in the entire history of humankind on a decreasing amount of land for agriculture. A major challenge for the 21st century, therefore, is to increase the yields of major crop plants, such as soybean, using state-of-the-art genetic technologies in order to increase food production using the limited amount of land available for growing crops. Seeds represent a major source of food for human and animal consumption. The experiments in this project will investigate seed differentiation in higher plants. The long-term objective of this project is to use state-of-the-art genomic technologies to uncover the gene regulatory networks, or DNA control circuits, required to "make a seed." There are several reasons that support the selection of soybean for this study. Soybean seeds are one of the largest sources of protein feed and vegetable oil in the world, providing $30 billion annually in farm value to the U.S. Soybean seeds are uniquely suited to study the basic processes controlling seed development. Finally, there are enormous genetic resources for soybeans that will facilitate progress, including the availability of its entire DNA sequence. Undergraduates majoring in both science and humanities from three universities, including a historically African-American university, will also participate in this project in order to learn first-hand about the "excitement of scientific discovery" and the role crop genetic engineering plays in society.The goal of this project is to identify the gene regulatory networks that are responsible for controlling the differentiation and function of major soybean seed regions and subregions throughout development- including the embryo, endosperm, and seed coat. Chip-Seq experiments will be used to identify downstream gene targets and cognate DNA control elements of transcription factors (TFs) that are specific for each seed region and subregion from fertilization through maturation. Bioinformatic approaches will be used to construct regulatory networks that guide and control specific seed functions spatially during development. SELEX-Seq experiments will complement the Chip-Seq studies by identifying the DNA binding motifs for each region- and subregion-specific TF in vitro. Functional studies using a seed protoplast system will be used to perturb and validate TF gene targets identified with Chip-Seq in vivo. The significance of these experiments is that they will provide new insights into the gene circuits and cis-control modules that are important for "making a soybean seed." By understanding the DNA "wiring" required for the establishment of seed form and function, novel approaches can be designed for increasing seed yield and, therefore, food production.

未来 50 年，我们需要在日益减少的农业土地上生产比整个人类历史上还要多的粮食。因此，21世纪的一个主要挑战是利用最先进的遗传技术提高大豆等主要农作物的产量，从而利用有限的农作物种植土地来增加粮食产量。种子是人类和动物消费的主要食物来源。该项目的实验将研究高等植物的种子分化。该项目的长期目标是利用最先进的基因组技术来揭示“制造种子”所需的基因调控网络或 DNA 控制电路。有几个理由支持本研究选择大豆。大豆种子是世界上最大的蛋白质饲料和植物油来源之一，每年为美国创造 300 亿美元的农业价值。大豆种子特别适合研究控制种子发育的基本过程。最后，大豆拥有巨大的遗传资源，包括其整个 DNA 序列的可用性，将促进进步。来自三所大学（包括一所历史悠久的非裔美国大学）的科学和人文专业的本科生也将参与该项目，以便亲身了解“科学发现的兴奋”以及作物基因工程在社会中发挥的作用。该项目的目标是确定负责控制大豆种子主要区域和子区域在整个发育过程中（包括胚胎、胚胎）分化和功能的基因调控网络。 胚乳和种皮。芯片测序实验将用于识别下游基因靶标和转录因子 (TF) 的同源 DNA 控制元件，这些元件对于从受精到成熟的每个种子区域和子区域都是特异的。生物信息学方法将用于构建在发育过程中在空间上指导和控制特定种子功能的调控网络。 SELEX-Seq 实验将通过在体外鉴定每个区域和亚区域特异性 TF 的 DNA 结合基序来补充 Chip-Seq 研究。使用种子原生质体系统的功能研究将用于干扰和验证通过体内 Chip-Seq 识别的 TF 基因靶点。这些实验的意义在于，它们将为对“制造大豆种子”很重要的基因回路和顺式控制模块提供新的见解。通过了解建立种子形式和功能所需的 DNA“线路”，可以设计新的方法来提高种子产量，从而提高粮食产量。