Plant signaling networks

植物细胞需要不断地监测大环境及其邻近细胞的变化。基于这些信息，细胞（最终是整个植物）能够调整其生理状态和资源分配，以最大限度地提高生物体/物种的生存机会。这种信息交换和重定向是通过细胞中信号蛋白及其底物的复杂网络来管理的，其中许多是蛋白激酶。 激酶的一个亚组（MAP激酶）已经在真核细胞信号传导的核心中运作了数亿年，并且在植物中得到充分代表，但是每种植物MAP激酶所发挥的特定生物学作用在很大程度上仍然未知。 该项目将系统地剖析植物细胞中依赖于MAP激酶的信号通路，并确定这些激酶的哪种组合已经进化，以帮助植物在恶劣的环境中生存和茁壮成长。这项工作将在模式植物拟南芥中进行，拟南芥的基因组已经完全测序，并且有广泛的遗传资源，因为这使得能够取得最快的进展。 然而，通过这一项目获得的知识将很容易外推到作物和树木等其他物种，在这些物种中，它将为疾病的易感性和对环境压力（臭氧、紫外线B、寒冷和干旱）的耐受性提供重要的新见解。它还将有助于阐明光合资源用于植物特定生长和发育模式（如开花和根分枝）的决策途径。

Plant cells need to constantly monitor changes both in the greater environment and in their neighbouring cells. Based on this information, the cells (and ultimately the entire plant) are able to adjust their physiological status and resource allocation to maximize the chances of survival for the organism/species. This information exchange and re-direction is managed through an elaborate network of signaling proteins and their substrates in the cell, many of which are protein kinases.  One subgroup of the kinases (MAP kinases) has been operating at the core of eukaryotic cell signaling for hundreds of millions of years, and is well-represented in plants, but the specific biological roles played by each of the plant MAPkinases remain largely unknown.  This project will systematically dissect those signaling pathways in plant cells that depend on MAPkinases, and determine which combination of these kinases has evolved to assist plants to survive and thrive in a hostile environment. The work will be conducted in the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, whose genome has been fully sequenced and for which extensive genetic resources are available, since this enables the most rapid progress to be made.  However, the knowledge developed through this project will be readily extrapolated to other species such as crops and trees, where it will provide important new insights into disease susceptibility and tolerance to environmental stresses (ozone, UV-B, cold and drought). It will also help illuminate the decision pathways through which photosynthetic resources are devoted to plant-specific growth and development patterns, such as flowering and root branching.