Role of a Cell Wall-Associated Kinase in Zinc Sensing

多细胞生物体感知锌并因此调节锌转运在很大程度上是未知的。的 我们研究的主要目标是了解细胞壁相关受体激酶（WAK）家族如何 和WAK样（WAKL）激酶在细胞-细胞和细胞-环境通讯中起作用。我们有 发现WAKL 4，WAK/WAKL家族成员，在拟南芥锌传感中起关键作用。 我们的目的是阐明植物如何利用WAKL 4来监测植物的生长发育的机制。 细胞外锌条件和调节锌运输。我们的中心假设是，WAKL 4作为一种 受体激酶是锌信号传导中的关键调节组分之一。我们打算测试一下 假设，以确定关键调控拟南芥锌信号。在目标1中，我们将测试锌诱导的 组织特异性WAKL 4表达在锌感应和锌转运中起作用，通过鉴定实际的 控制锌诱导的WAKL 4表达的组分。生物化学、遗传学和 生物信息学方法将被用来识别和确定调控的作用， 件.在目标2中，我们将使用抑制筛选来鉴定WAKL 4中的其他关键基因。 介导的锌信号传导。遗传筛选是基于这样的事实，即在不存在WAKL 4的情况下， 转运蛋白基因不能响应外部锌耗竭。我们会找出那些锌 转运蛋白基因，在WAKL 4的情况下，仍然响应锌缺乏。WAKL 4是第一个 受体激酶被认为在矿物质传感和调节中起作用。我们建议的研究是 有望为理解拟南芥如何使用受体激酶来感知 并对锌做出反应，并大大促进对WAK/WAKL成员如何 在细胞外和细胞内区室之间进行通信。 与公共卫生的相关性：锌是所有生物体必需的微量营养素，缺乏锌是一种严重的危害。 众所周知的人类健康问题。我们在这里的贡献是希望详细了解 细胞外基质连接受体激酶如何在植物锌传感和运输中发挥作用。这 贡献预计将提供所需的知识，以显着改善食用植物， 动物和人类的膳食锌来源。

multicellular organisms sense zinc and consequently regulate zinc transport is largely unknown. The main goal of our research is to understand how a family of cell wall-associated receptor kinases (WAK) and WAK-like (WAKL) kinases function in cell-cell and cell-environment communications. We have discovered that WAKL4, a WAK/WAKL family member, plays a critical role in Arabidopsis zinc sensing. Our objective in this application is to elucidate the mechanisms of how plants use WAKL4 to monitor extracellular zinc conditions and to regulate zinc transport. Our central hypothesis is that WAKL4, as a receptor kinase, is one of the key regulatory components in zinc signaling. We propose to test this hypothesis to identify key regulators in Arabidopsis zinc signaling. In Aim 1, we will test if zinc-induced tissue-specific WAKL4 expression plays a role in zinc sensing and zinc transport by identifying the actual components that control zinc-induced WAKL4 expression. A combination of biochemical, genetic and bioinformatic approaches will be used to identify and to determine the roles of the regulatory components. In Aim 2, we will use suppressor screening to identity other critical genes in the WAKL4- mediated zinc signaling. The genetic screening is based on the fact that in the absence of WAKL4, zinc transporter genes fail to respond to external zinc depletion. We will identify mutants whose zinc transporter genes, in absence of WAKL4, remain responding to zinc deficiency. WAKL4 is the first receptor kinase suggested as having a role in mineral sensing and regulation. Our proposed studies are expected to provide critical information in understanding how Arabidopsis uses receptor kinases to sense and respond to zinc, and to significantly advance the understanding of how WAK/WAKL members communicate between the extracellular and intracellular compartments. Relevance to Public Health: Zinc is an essential micronutrient for all organisms and its deficiency is a well-known human-health problem. Our contribution here is expected to be a detailed understanding of how an extracellular matrix-linked receptor kinase plays a role in plant zinc sensing and transport. This contribution is expected to provide the knowledge needed to significantly improve edible plants as better dietary zinc sources for both animals and humans.