Characterisation of Molecular Players in Monocot Vein Patterning

植物维管系统是一个重要的运输通道网络，为植物提供水分、养分和机械支持。叶脉网络代表了这个维管系统的关键部分。使用一种称为C4光合作用的特定形式的光合作用的植物具有特征性的脉网，其脉网比C3物种中发现的脉网更紧密。作为将C4光合作用工程化到C3作物水稻中的国际努力的一部分，该项目旨在鉴定几种假定的脉图案调节剂。为此，一个复杂的预测将参与静脉图案的最早阶段将被确定筛选相互作用的一个假定的调节器和突变体植物的产生的特点。此外，分子证据将提供测试的假设，一个良好的特征拟南芥途径是保守的C4物种的叶脉图案。该研究结果将有助于发展一个分子机制的静脉图案在草叶，这将直接通知努力工程C4 rice.BBSRC优先领域拟议的研究直接有助于国际努力工程C4光合作用到C3作物水稻作为C4水稻项目的一部分。C4水稻项目的目标是通过提高光合作用、氮素利用效率和水分利用效率来培育高产水稻品种。因此，拟议的研究通过提供一种可持续的方式来提高水稻作物的生产力，从而解决全球粮食安全问题。

The plant vascular system is an essential network of transport channels that provide the plant with water, nutrients, and mechanical support. The leaf vein network represents a key part of this vascular system. Plants that use a specific form of photosynthesis known as C4 photosynthesis have a characteristic vein network with closer spaced veins than those found in C3 species. As part of an international effort to engineer C4 photosynthesis into the C3 crop rice, this project aims to characterise several putative vein patterning regulators. For this, a complex predicted to be involved in the earliest stages of vein patterning will be identified by screening for interactions to a putative regulator and characterised by generation of mutant plants. Furthermore, molecular evidence will be provided to test the hypothesis that a well-characterised Arabidopsis thaliana pathway is conserved in the leaf vein patterning of C4 species. The results will contribute to the development of a molecular mechanism for vein patterning in grass leaves, which will directly inform efforts toengineer C4 rice.BBSRC Priority AreasThe proposed research directly contributes to international efforts to engineer C4 photosynthesis into the C3 crop rice as part of the C4 Rice Project. The aim of the C4 Rice Project is to develop high yield rice varieties by improving hotosynthesis, nitrogen use efficiency and water use efficiency.The proposed research therefore addresses global food security concerns by providing a sustainable way to enhance rice crop productivity.