CAREER: Unraveling the Developmental Processes Underlying the Twining Motion of Vines

攀爬的藤本植物在森林树冠间穿行，将自己包裹在寄主树周围，寻找树冠顶部的阳光。攀缘藤本植物是森林生态系统的重要组成部分，在森林生态系统中，藤本植物经常在竞争中胜出，并杀死林木。此外，由于森林碎片化和气候变化，这些植物的大小和丰度都在增加。然而，我们仍然缺乏基本的了解，确切地说，这些植物是如何表演它们戏剧性的蛇形缠绕运动的。在这个职业奖项中，将调查缠绕的发展基础。将研究细胞、组织、激素和分子生物学如何相互作用来建造缠绕的藤本植物，目的是揭示藤本植物与直立植物不同的根本原因。为了提高公众和专业人士对植物是如何构建的-植物解剖学领域的素养-PI将推出一系列教育视频，用现场解剖和动画教授植物解剖学。这一系列视频将免费提供给新手，并作为专业科学家和教育工作者的入门读物和教学工具。在这个职业奖项中，研究人员试图通过利用多尺度综合方法将基因表达、细胞壁构建和激素调节与生物体形式联系起来，来解释产生缠绕的藤蔓的发育过程，从而解决以下问题：葡萄藤是如何攀登的？以菜豆(豆科)为模式物种，本研究的目的是：(1)描述从双胞胎到平卧藤本，再到直立灌木这一系列习性的发育基础；(2)阐明植物激素如何决定植物的习性；(3)测试胶状纤维在双胞胎中的功能作用。目前，美国分子生物学和植物解剖学在培训和教学方面严重失衡，阻碍了植物科学的发展。这项工作的更广泛的影响目的是制作一部动画教育植物解剖系列视频。这一资源将作为一种免费的资源，在为科学界提供严重缺乏的专业知识的同时，提高公众的植物学素养。教育目的是：(1)通过调查植物界的需求，找出有针对性干预的教育学空白；(2)编写、制作和传播植物解剖学系列视频《构建植物》；以及(3)将植物解剖学的学习成果整合到本科课程中。该奖项由BIO-IOS-发展系统和BIO-IOS-生理机制和生物力学项目共同资助。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。

Climbing vines weave through the forest canopy wrapping themselves around host trees in search of light at the top of the canopy. Climbing vines are a critical part of forest ecosystems, where they frequently outcompete and kill forest trees. Moreover, these plants are increasing in size and abundance in response to forest fragmentation and climate change. However, we still lack a basic understanding of precisely how these plants perform their dramatic snake-like twining motions. In this CAREER award, the developmental basis of twining will be investigated. How cells, tissues, hormones, and molecular biology interact to build a twining vine will be investigated, with the aim of revealing the fundamental reasons that vines are distinct from erect plants. To enhance public and professional literacy of how plants are constructed – the field of plant anatomy – the PI will launch an educational video series teaching plant anatomy with live dissections and animations. This video series will be made freely available to engage novice, and as a primer and teaching tool for professional scientists and educators.In this CAREER award, the investigator seeks to address the following question – “how do vines climb?” – by leveraging a multiscale integrative approach linking gene expression, cell wall construction, and hormone regulation to organismal form to explain the developmental processes that generate twining vines. Using common bean, Phaseolus vulgaris L. (Fabaceae), as the model species, the research aims of this proposal are to: (1) Characterize the developmental basis underpinning the continuum of habits, from twiners, to prostrate vine, to erect shrub; (2) Elucidate how phytohormones determine plant habit; and (3) Test the functional role of gelatinous fibers in twiners. At present, there is a significant imbalance in training and pedagogy between molecular biology and plant anatomy in the United States, therefore hindering advancements in the plant sciences. The broader impacts aim of this work is to generate an animated educational Plant Anatomy video series. This resource will serve as a freely available resource to advance public literacy of botany while providing critically absent expertise for the scientific community. The educational aims are to: (1) Identify gaps in the pedagogy for targeted intervention through surveying the needs of the botanical community; (2) Write, produce, and disseminate a plant anatomy educational videos series “Build a Plant”; and (3) Integrate plant anatomy learning outcomes in undergraduate courses.This award is co-funded by BIO-IOS-Developmental Systems and the BIO-IOS-Physiological Mechanisms and Biomechanics program.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.