TRTech-PGR: Development of Highly-Efficient, Genotype-Independent Transformation Systems for Maize and Soybean Genome Research Communities

国家和全球都迫切需要发展农作物，以生产更多与食物、饲料、纤维和生物能源相关的产品，并更能耐受非生物和生物胁迫，同时需要较少的投入，并在生产过程中减少对环境的影响。用于作物基因组研究和遗传改良的一个关键工具是基因工程。然而，目前的基因工程系统对许多重要的作物物种或物种内的品种都不起作用，限制了对这些作物的研究和改进进展。对该项目进行的研究旨在1)开发和优化可用于多种品种的高效基因工程系统，2)创造用于公共作物基因组研究和遗传改良的增强型、开源作物工程工具和生物材料，以及3)在植物转化原理、实践和转基因/编辑植物的管理方面进行教育和培训。作为这些外联工作的一部分，小组成员将主持一次关于改造方法和方案的密集讲习班，以向其他实验室传播知识。基因工程系统是美国和世界范围内推进作物功能基因组研究和以基因组学为基础的作物改良努力的关键工具。然而，目前的作物转化系统受到以下因素的限制：基因特异性、过程的高度复杂性和低效率、目标组织的不同反应以及总体上缺乏国家一级的能力。为了克服上述限制，将开展研究以实现以下目标：1)针对玉米和大豆的易分离、可预处理和可储存的外植体，开发高效、高通量、灵活的基于分生组织的转化系统；2)通过改进的载体设计、菌株操纵和更多的公众获得，提高以农杆菌为基础的植物转化系统的广度和效率；以及3)通过出版、培训和研讨会，快速有效地转让该项目的知识和研究成果，并在公共转化研究应用和服务中实施改进的协议。这项研究的结果将有助于理解植物转化过程以及特定的生物、化学和物理因素在双子叶和单子叶分生组织植物转化成功和效率中的作用。还将产生关于单个和组合的超二进制载体组分和农杆菌菌株在植物转化过程中的作用的新知识。通过这项研究开发的新知识、方案和生物/分子材料将被广泛获得，并有助于在公共部门开发和部署增强的作物转化系统，以及培训下一代植物转化科学家。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。

There is a strong national and global need to develop crop plants that yield greater food, feed, fiber and bioenergy related products, and that are more tolerant of abiotic and biotic stresses, while requiring less inputs and having reduced environmental impacts during production. One critical tool used for crop genome research and genetic improvement is genetic engineering. However, current genetic engineering systems don't work efficiently, or at all, for many important crop species or varieties within species, limiting the research and improvement progress that can be made with those crops. Research conducted on this project is aimed at 1) development and optimization of efficient genetic engineering systems that can be utilized across a wide array of varieties, 2) creation of enhanced, open-source crop engineering tools and biological materials for use in public crop genome research and genetic enhancement, and 3) education and training in plant transformation principles, practices and stewardship of transgenic/edited plants. As a part of these outreach efforts, team members will host an intensive workshop on transformation methods and protocols to disseminate the knowledge to other laboratories. Genetic engineering systems are critical tools for the advancement of crop functional genomics research and genomics-based crop improvement efforts both in the U.S. and worldwide. Current crop transformation systems are limited, however, by genotype specificity, high complexity and low efficiency of the processes, variable responses of target tissues, and an overall lack of capacity at the national level. To overcome the above limitations, research will be conducted to meet the following objectives: 1) develop efficient, high throughput, genotype-flexible meristem-based transformation systems for maize and soybean targeting easily isolated, pretreatable, storable explants; 2) improve the breadth and efficiency of Agrobacterium-based plant transformation systems via enhanced vector design, strain manipulation and enhanced public access; and 3) rapid and effective transfer of the knowledge and research outcomes from the project via publication, training and a workshop, and implementation of the improved protocols in public transformation research applications and services. Results from this research will lead to important advancement in understanding the plant transformation process and the role of specific biological, chemical and physical factors in dicot and monocot meristem-based plant transformation success and efficiency. New knowledge will also be generated regarding the function of individual and combined super-binary vector components and Agrobacterium strains on the plant transformation process. New knowledge, protocols, and biological/molecular materials developed through the research will be made widely available and contribute to development and deployment of enhanced crop transformation systems in the public sector, and training of the next generation of scientists in plant transformation.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.