Processing-body dynamics and mRNA regulation in plants

该项目探讨了一种称为P体的专门细胞结构如何参与基因调控，在植物病原体感染后引发，为宿主提供一种启动防御反应的手段。细胞信号转导由一系列协调的分子事件组成，这些事件对于基因表达的调节至关重要，因此对于所有生物体的生存至关重要。对病原体攻击的感知在细胞水平上激发了强大的植物免疫反应，包括特定基因表达的快速和深刻的改变。然而，各种RNA调节在免疫应答中的作用的分子机制目前尚不清楚。该项目通过破译P体在信使RNA调节中的作用来解决这些关键差距。这个问题将通过一个综合系统的方法在模式植物拟南芥。这些活动将为两名本科生、三名博士生和两名博士后研究人员提供研究培训，以及年度研讨会等外展活动。除了推进细胞动力学，信号转导和基因调控的基本理解，新的高通量的方法将被开发，有可能被应用于其他topics of research.The假设进行测试的基础上制定最近的初步结果表明，P-体组装在植物免疫中起着重要作用。将采用拟南芥中的遗传、分子和生物化学方法，包括最先进的方法来鉴定由中央P体组分TZF 1串联CCCH锌指蛋白结合的RNA元件。第一组实验将测试P体动力学是否作为一个高度调节的过程在植物生物胁迫响应期间在转录后水平上协调基因表达。通过进行时程动力学分析，有望揭示P体动力学调节mRNA命运的机制，以平衡宿主生长和胁迫适应。第二组实验旨在阐明TZF 1靶向和调节mRNA稳定性的机制。由于TZF基因家族参与了过多的植物生长和胁迫反应，TZF 1 mRNA靶标和同源识别基序的全球鉴定将有助于建立其他植物物种中TZF家族蛋白介导的RNA调控的预测模型。因此，本项目将揭示P体调节mRNA调控的机制，并有助于对应激信号的一般理解，特别是通过复杂的转录后和翻译调控网络的接口。该奖项由分子和细胞生物科学部的细胞动力学和功能与遗传机制集群共同资助。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This project explores how a specialized cellular structure termed the P-body is involved in gene regulation, elicited upon plant pathogen infection to provide a means for hosts to launch a prominent layer of defense response. Cellular signal transduction consists of a coordinated series of molecular events that is pivotal for regulation of gene expression, and thus is essential for all organisms to survive. Perception of pathogen attack elicits robust plant immune responses at the cellular level, including rapid and profound alterations in the expression of specific genes. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the role of various RNA regulations in the immune response is currently unclear. This project addresses such critical gaps by deciphering the role of the P-body in messenger RNA regulation. This question will be addressed through an integrated systems approach in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. These activities will provide research training for two undergraduate students, three PhD students, and two postdoctoral researchers, as well as outreach activities such as an annual workshop. Besides advancing fundamental understanding of cellular dynamics, signal transduction and gene regulation, new high-throughput methods will be developed that have the potential to be applied in other topics of research.The hypotheses to be tested are formulated based on recent preliminary results indicating that P-body assembly plays an important role in plant immunity. Genetic, molecular, and biochemical approaches in Arabidopsis will be employed, including a state-of-the-art method to identify RNA elements bound by a central P-body component, the TZF1 tandem CCCH zinc finger protein. The first set of experiments will test if P-body dynamics functions as a highly regulated process in orchestrating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level during plant biotic stress responses. By performing time-course kinetic analyses, it is expected to reveal the mechanisms by which P-body dynamics modulates mRNA fates in balancing host growth and stress adaptation. The second set of experiments aims to elucidate the mechanism by which TZF1 targets and regulates mRNA stability. Because the TZF gene family is involved in a plethora of plant growth and stress responses, global identification of TZF1 mRNA targets and cognate recognition motifs will help establish predictive models for TZF family protein-mediated RNA regulation in other plant species. Therefore, this project will reveal the mechanisms by which P-body modulates mRNA regulation, and contribute to a general understanding of stress signaling, particularly via intricate interfacing with post-transcriptional and translational regulatory network. This award was co-funded by the Cellular Dynamics and Function and Genetic Mechanisms clusters of the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences.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.