Elucidating the Mechanisms of Intercellular Movement

植物和动物体内的细胞必须能够相互沟通，以协调生长、发育和功能。在植物中，许多蛋白质通过被称为胞间连丝的结构在细胞之间移动，胞间连丝通道连接相邻的细胞，为信息和材料的交换提供了直接的途径。这些相同的通道也是病毒在植物细胞之间移动的管道，因此疾病在整个植物中的系统性传播。在这个项目中，研究了一种在许多不同物种的植物中参与根发育和叶脉形成的重要蛋白质，称为短根(SHR)。SHR运动丧失会导致发育异常和发育迟缓。在这里，SHR被用作了解植物蛋白质如何在细胞间移动和协调发育的模型，以及作为一种潜在的工具来理解经济上重要的植物病毒如何在细胞间移动。这项研究涉及各个层次的学生，并被用于费城地区本科生创作的艺术展览的灵感。宾夕法尼亚大学的本科生积极参与了这项研究，费城美术学院(PAFA)的艺术专业学生也参与了这项研究，他们从这项研究中获得了科学灵感的设计。细胞之间的交流对多细胞有机体的发育和生存至关重要。在植物中，这样的信息交换通常是通过转录因子的细胞间运输实现的。现在人们认识到，这些蛋白质通过胞间连丝移动，胞间连丝是连接单个细胞的高度专门化的膜衬里通道。然而，蛋白质进入胞间连丝的机制仍不清楚。非细胞自主转录因子短根(Short-Root，SHR)的运动在细胞水平上受到高度调控，需要活跃的内膜系统、完整的微管以及与内小体相关蛋白的相互作用。蛋白质组学和配体诱导结合实验用于鉴定与SHR相互作用并促进SHR细胞间运动的蛋白质。SHR的运动是理解植物中广泛的蛋白质运动的一个容易的切入点。该奖项由生物科学局分子和细胞生物科学部的细胞动力学和功能计划和遗传机制计划共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Cells within both plants and animals must be able to communicate with each other to coordinate growth, development and function. In plants, many proteins move between cells via structures referred to as plasmodesmata - channels that link neighboring cells and provide a direct pathway for the exchange of information and materials. These same channels also serve as conduits for the movement of viruses between plant cells and thus the systemic spread of disease throughout the plants. In this project an important protein in root development and leaf vein patterning in many different species of plants, termed SHORT-ROOT (SHR), is examined. Loss of SHR movement results in abnormal development and stunting of growth. Here SHR is used as a model for understanding how plant proteins move between cells and coordinate development and as a potential tool for understanding how economically important plant virus move between cells. This research engages students from all levels and is used in the inspiration of art exhibits produced by undergraduate students in the Philadelphia area. Undergraduate students at the University of Pennsylvania are actively involved in this research, as are art students from the Philadelphia Academy of Fine Arts (PAFA) who draw inspiration from the research for science inspired designs.Cell-to-cell communication is essential for the development and survival of multicellular organisms. In plants, such exchange of information is frequently achieved by the intercellular trafficking of transcription factors. It is now recognized that these proteins move via plasmodesmata, highly specialized membrane-lined channels interconnecting individual cells. However, the mechanisms by which proteins access plasmodesmata remain unknown. The movement of the non-cell-autonomous transcription factor, SHORT-ROOT (SHR) is highly regulated at the cellular level and requires an active endomembrane system, intact microtubules and interaction with endosome-associated proteins. Proteomic and ligand induced binding assay are used to identify proteins that interact with SHR and promote the cell-to-cell movement of SHR. Movement of SHR serves as a tractable entry point into understanding the widespread movement of protein in plants.This award was co-funded by the Cellular Dynamics and Function Program and the Genetic Mechanisms Program, both in the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences, in the Directorate for Biological Sciences.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.