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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做出反应。其中一种蛋白质隐花色素是植物对蓝光和环境变化反应的关键调节剂。隐花色素被认为是由结构变化激活，触发生物防御机制。然而，这些变化的性质以及它们如何在植物中引发反应仍然未知。该项目将通过国际跨学科方法解决这一问题，涉及三名调查人员和来自泽维尔大学的十二名本科生，为期三年。每年夏天，四名学生将在法国巴黎的皮埃尔和玛丽·居里大学进行研究，在那里他们将种植和表征隐花色素变体的详尽收集。随后，PI和学生将使用生物物理技术来获得与生物相关的隐花色素形状变化的信息。利用这种跨学科的方法，包括生物化学，光生物学和生物物理学，生物活性的结构基础可以确定的关键受体之一，参与适应植物生命的环境。这项工作的一个主要目的是为本科生提供有意义的，前沿的研究机会，结合国际经验。这些机会将激发并增加对STEM研究感兴趣的学生人数，并为他们提供在未来的全球研究环境中处于竞争力和领导地位所需的国际经验，这些领域尚未被发现。少数民族学生和妇女将专门针对这种经验。隐花色素研究的另一个社会效益是在生态系统和农业植物中进行新干预的可能性，这可能会保护人们免受全球气候变化的经济和健康影响。