IRES: PUI Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research in Paris Characterizing a Crucial Plant Blue Light Photoreceptor

IRES：巴黎 PUI 本科生跨学科研究表征重要植物蓝光光感受器

基本信息

批准号：
1658640
负责人：
Justin Link
金额：
$ 24.93万
依托单位：
Xavier University
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2017
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2017-05-01 至 2023-04-30
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1658640&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
IRES PUI Undergraduate Interdisciplinary Research

项目摘要

Plants respond to environmental stressors via proteins that interact with light. One of these proteins, cryptochrome, is a key regulator of plant responses to blue light and environmental changes. Cryptochromes are thought to be activated by structural changes which trigger biological defense mechanisms. However, the nature of these changes and how they initiate responses in the plant remains unknown. This project will address this issue with an international interdisciplinary approach, involving three investigators and twelve undergraduate students from Xavier University over the span of three years. Four students will perform research each summer at the Universite Pierre et Marie Curie in Paris, France where they will grow and characterize an exhaustive collection of cryptochrome variants. Subsequently, the PI and students will use biophysical technology to obtain information on changes in shape of cryptochromes that are biologically relevant. Using this interdisciplinary approach including biochemistry, photobiology, and biophysics, the structural basis of biological activity can be determined for one of the key receptors involved in the adaptation of plant life to the environment.A key aim of this work is to provide undergraduate students with meaningful, cutting edge research opportunities, combined with international experience. These opportunities will excite and increase the numbers of students interested in STEM research, and give them the international experience needed to take a competitive, leadership position in the global research environment of the future in yet to be discovered interdisciplinary fields. Minority students and women will be specifically targeted for this experience. A further societal benefit from the study of cryptochromes is the possibility of novel interventions in both ecosystems and agricultural plants which may provide protection against economic and health effects of global climate change.

植物通过与光相互作用的蛋白质对环境压力响应。这些蛋白质之一是密码色素，是植物对蓝光和环境变化的反应的关键调节剂。人们认为隐染色质被触发生物防御机制的结构变化激活。但是，这些变化的性质以及它们如何在植物中发起反应仍然未知。该项目将通过国际跨学科的方法来解决这个问题，涉及三年来Xavier University的三名研究人员和十二名本科生。每年夏天，有四个学生将在法国巴黎的皮埃尔（Pierre）等大学（Pierre et Marie Curie）进行研究，在那里他们将成长并描述详尽的隐性变种。随后，PI和学生将使用生物物理技术获取有关生物学上相关的隐性颜色形状变化的信息。使用这种跨学科方法，包括生物化学，光生物学和生物物理学，可以确定生物活性的结构基础，用于将植物生命适应环境的关键受体之一确定。这项工作的主要目的是为本科生提供有意义的，最先进的研究机会，并结合了国际经验。这些机会将激发和增加对STEM研究感兴趣的学生的数量，并为他们提供在未来的全球研究环境中处于尚未发现的跨学科领域所需的国际经验。少数族裔学生和女性将被专门针对这一经验。对密码色素研究的研究进一步的社会益处是生态系统和农业植物的新干预可能性可能为全球气候变化的经济和健康影响提供保护。