RoL: Closing the Gap between the Genotype and Phenotype by Elucidating Cellular Dynamics of Endosperm Development

开花植物的种子不仅从农业的角度来看是重要的，而且也是研究发育过程中独特的细胞过程和组织之间复杂通信的极好系统。种子由胚、胚乳和种皮组成，这些组织相互联系，决定了种子的最终大小。早期胚乳发育的持续时间与最终的种子大小密切相关;然而，仍然不清楚在这个早期阶段种子中究竟发生了什么。Kawashima实验室已经确定，操纵早期胚乳的细胞动力学导致不同的最终种子大小。利用拟南芥的活细胞成像，遗传学和生物化学方法，该项目旨在了解早期胚乳发育与随后的种子表型（如种子大小）之间的关系。该项目通过为STEM学生提供实验室研究经验，并为非STEM学生提供接触植物生物技术的机会，让学生参与科学。 Kawashima实验室建立了实时成像胚乳系统，并确定了开花植物拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）的多核胚乳中的丝状肌动蛋白（F-actin）在胚乳发育以及种子大小中发挥作用。本项目的目标是：（i）调查F-肌动蛋白是如何参与多核胚乳发育，（ii）特征的胚乳特异性II类肌动蛋白的功能在F-肌动蛋白组织，和（iii）调查胚乳分子和细胞动力学先前确定的突变体/转基因株系，通过胚乳发育种子大小的变化。不仅将利用实时成像系统来解决上述目标，而且还将利用遗传学、基因组学和生物化学方法。该项目将提供有关胚乳基因型、多核细胞中的细胞动力学和表型（胚乳发育本身以及最终种子大小）如何联系在一起形成种子的线索。这些见解将是进一步了解植物复杂的成分如何协同工作以协调种子发育和更大的作物种子以获得更高产量以维持我们的世界的基础。该项目由Integrative Organismal Systems，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。

Seeds of flowering plants are not only important from an agricultural point of view but are also an excellent system to investigate unique cellular processes and complex communications among tissues during development. The seed comprises the embryo, endosperm, and seed coat, and these tissues communicate with each other to determine the final seed size. The duration of the early-stage endosperm development is strongly associated with the final seed size; however, it is still not clear what exactly is happening in the seed at this early stage. The Kawashima lab has identified that manipulation of cellular dynamics of the early-stage endosperm results in diverse final seed sizes. Using live-cell imaging, genetics, and biochemical approaches in Arabidopsis thaliana, this project aims to understand the relationship between the early-stage endosperm development and subsequent seed phenotypes, such as seed size. This project engages student in science by providing STEM students with lab research experiences and non-STEM students with opportunities to be exposed to plant biotechnology. The Kawashima lab established the live-imaging endosperm system and identified that filamentous actin (F-actin) in the coenocytic endosperm of the flowering plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, plays a role in endosperm development, as well as, seed size. The objectives of this project are to: (i) investigate how F-actin is involved in coenocytic endosperm development, (ii) characterize the function of an endosperm-specific class II formin in F-actin organization, and (iii) investigate endosperm molecular and cellular dynamics of previously identified mutant/transgenic lines that show seed size change through endosperm development. Not only will the live-imaging system be utilized to address the objectives mentioned above, but also genetics, genomics, and biochemical approaches. This project will provide clues about how endosperm genotypes, cellular dynamics in the coenocyte, and the phenotypes (endosperm development itself as well as the final seed size) link together to form a seed. These insights will be a foundation to developing further knowledge of how the complex compartments of plants work together to orchestrate seed development and larger crop seeds for higher yield to sustain our world.This project is co-funded by Integrative Organismal Systems, Molecular and Cellular Biolsciences and the Rules of Life.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.