Engineering the plant mitochondrial electron transport chain for tolerance of environmental stress

植物经常面临恶劣的环境，使它们处于压力之下。在这些条件下产生的活性氧分子作为信号激活防御机制，但也会造成细胞损伤。线粒体是参与能量产生的亚细胞隔间，对植物的生长和发育是必不可少的，但它们也与植物对环境胁迫的反应和活性氧分子的产生有关。这个项目将研究植物线粒体的特殊功能，以改善氧化应激。潜在的结果包括作物能够更好地应对环境压力。

Plants often face hostile environments that place them under stress. Reactive oxygen molecules produced under these conditions act as signals to activate defense mechanisms, but also cause cell damage. Mitochondria are subcellular compartments involved in energy production and are essential for plant growth and development, but they have also been implicated in the response of plants to environmental stress, and in production of reactive oxygen molecules. This project will investigate special features of plant mitochondria that ameliorate oxidative stress. Potential outcomes include crops better able to cope with environmental stress.