Development and regulation of thermogenesis in thermoregulating flowers.

某些原始植物的花产生足够的热量，使它们的温度升高到高于空气40摄氏度，并将其调节在一个几乎恒定的水平。像温血哺乳动物一样，当环境温度下降时，这些花会增加产热。然而，与具有复杂神经系统的哺乳动物不同，它们在细胞水平上调节体温。我们的目的是阐明参与热生产的调节机制，与分子，生化和稳定同位素技术。我们将研究基因表达的时空模式和可能的调节酶的活性。这一结果将对人类生理学和农业产生影响。

Flowers of certain primitive plants produce enough heat to raise their temperatures up to 40 C above the air, and regulate it at a nearly constant level. Like warm-blooded mammals, the flowers increase heat production as environmental temperature falls. However, they thermoregulate on a cellular level, unlike mammals with their complex nervous system. We aim to elucidate the mechanisms involved in regulation of heat-production, with molecular, biochemical and stable isotope techniques. We will investigate spatial and temporal patterns of gene expression and activity of putative regulatory enzymes. The results will have implications for human physiology and agriculture.