Bioherbicides: A focus on identifying the mode of action of natural flavonoids

开发新的，更环保的除草剂为旨在改善全球粮食安全的农业公司提供了一个关键目标。了解潜在除草剂的分子机制对于实现这一目标至关重要。该项目将采用一个简单，易于处理的模型系统来研究与myrigalone A相关的一类新除草剂的分子靶标和机制，myrigalone A是一种罕见的黄酮衍生物和植物毒性黄酮，为当前的合成除草剂提供了一种“天然”替代品。对myrigalone A及其相关化合物作用方式的研究将为下一代生态友好型除草剂提供新的作用方式。本计画将以社会性变形虫盘基网柄变形虫为研究模式。利用该系统进行的分子生物学研究将有助于我们进一步了解myrigalone_A及其相关化合物的作用靶点和作用机制。通过基因筛选，将确定化合物的潜在直接靶点，并在生化水平上分析急性和慢性机制。还将评估myrigalone相关化合物对细胞功能的化学功能性。因此，这些研究将提高我们对这种潜在的新一代除草剂的分子基础的理解。该研究将涵盖广泛的细胞和分子技术，包括细胞培养，突变库筛选，DNA克隆和质粒构建，荧光显微镜和生化分析。关于myrigalone A和相关化合物的作用靶点和机制的发现将被转化为植物模型。因此，该项目将导致更好地了解与myrigalone有关的化合物在农业用途中的作用机制。该项目将基于Robin SB威廉姆斯教授的实验室（见这里），提供模型系统和研究程序的专业知识，并与Gerhard Leubner教授密切合作（见这里;和www.seedbiology.eu;和这里）提供myrigalone A和翻译到植物系统的专业知识。这将是一个极具竞争力的计划，并要求优秀的本科生在他们的学位或硕士毕业生的最后一年申请。申请人将被期望有一定的经验与分子细胞生物学。CASE产业安置：为期三个月的CASE安置将在先正达位于英国或瑞士的国际研究站进行。该职位将提供与项目主题相关的应用研究和方法的经验和培训。这个时间是灵活的，将在博士项目的初始和中期阶段战略性地放置一个或两个块。

Developing new, more environmentally friendly herbicides provides a key goal for agricultural companies aiming to improve global food security. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of potential herbicides is essential for this goal. This project will employ a simple, tractable model system to investigate the molecular targets and mechanisms of a new class of herbicides relating to myrigalone A, a rare hormone-derivative and phytotoxic flavonoid that provides a 'natural' alternative to current synthetic herbicides. Characterising the mode of action of myrigalone A and related compounds will likely provide a new mode of action for the next generation of eco-friendly herbicides. This project will employ the social amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum, as a research model. Using this system, molecular studies will improve our understanding of the targets and mechanism of myrigalone_A and related compounds. Through genetic screens, potential direct targets for the compounds will be identified, and both acute and chronic mechanisms will be analysed at a biochemical level. The chemical functionality of myrigalone-related compounds on cell function will also be assessed. These studies will therefore improve our understanding of the molecular basis of this potential new generation of herbicides. The research will encompass a broad range of cell and molecular techniques including cell culture, mutant library screening, DNA cloning and plasmid construction, fluorescence microscopy, and biochemical assays. Discoveries regarding the targets and mechanism of action of myrigalone A and related compounds will then be translated to plant models. The project will therefore lead to a better understanding of the mechanism(s) of action of myrigalone-related compounds in agricultural use. The project will be based in the laboratory of Prof Robin SB Williams (see here) providing expertise in the model system and research procedures, and in a close collaboration with Prof Gerhard Leubner (see here; and www.seedbiology.eu; and here) providing expertise in myrigalone A and translation to plant system. This will be an extremely competitive program and applications are requested from outstanding undergraduate students in their final year of their degree or Masters graduates. Applicant will be expected to have some experience with molecular cell biology. CASE Industrial Placement: The three month-CASE placement will be at Syngenta's International Research Stations in the UK or Switzerland. The placement will provide experience and training it the applied research and methods relevant to the project's topics. The timing of this is flexible, and will be either one or two blocks placed strategically in the initial and middle phase of the PhD project.