Analysis of the role of FASCIATED EAR2 (FEA2) in a signaling pathway that restricts meristem growth in maize

嫩枝分生组织具有在发育过程中调节其大小的非凡能力。他们通过平衡干细胞分裂和将细胞整合成新的原基来做到这一点。在拟南芥中，这种平衡由CLAVATA信号通路控制。目前的模型认为，由受体激酶CLAVATA1和受体蛋白CLAVATA2组成的异二聚体受体复合体限制了干细胞促进因子WUSCHEL的表达。对玉米的FEA2和TD1基因的分析表明，这一途径在被子植物中是保守的，因为它们编码的是功能明显保守的同源基因。我建议使用生化方法来表征FEA2受体复合体。通过使用转基因FEA2串联亲和纯化标签系I，将纯化该络合物，并用基质辅助激光解吸/电离飞行时间质谱仪或液-色质谱等光谱方法对其进行表征。将通过表达谱分析、突变表型分析以及它们与FEA2和TD1的遗传互作来分析识别出的蛋白质及其相应的基因，目的是提高我们对玉米和其他被子植物分生组织大小和形态发生调控的了解。

Shoot meristems have the remarkable ability to regulate their size during development. They do this by balancing stem cell division with the incorporation of cells into new primordia. In Arabidopsis, this balance is controlled by the CLAVATA signaling pathway. The current model proposes that a heterodimeric receptor complex composed of the receptor kinase CLAVATA1 and the receptor protein CLAVATA2 limits the expression of the stem cell promoting factor WUSCHEL. Analysis of the fasciated ear2 (fea2) and thick tassel dwarf1 (td1) genes in maize suggests that this pathway is conserved among angiosperms, as they encode orthologous genes with apparently conserved functions. I propose to use biochemical approaches to characterize the FEA2 receptor complex. By using a transgenic FEA2 tandem affinity purification tag line I will purify the complex and characterize it by spectometric methods such as Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry or Liquid Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. Identified proteins and their corresponding genes will be analysed by expression profiling, mutant phenotypes analysis and their genetic interactions with fea2 and td1, with the aim to improve our knowledge of regulation of meristem size and morphogenesis in maize and other angiosperms.