Plant growth chamber for arabidopsis research

拟南芥是农业生物技术的模式生物，为深入了解基因功能如何影响作物改良提供了机会。随着拟南芥基因组测序计划的完成，目前面临的挑战是基因功能的确定。对基因功能的完整理解依赖于对目标基因的突变等位基因和转基因品系的表型分析。然而，表型的表现取决于生长条件。在不太理想的情况下，细微的表型往往会被遗漏。因此，一个可控的生长环境对于拟南芥突变体和转基因品系的表型分析是必不可少的。由于拟南芥体积小、生长习性玫瑰状、生命周期短，可以在专门为这种模式实验植物设计的生长室中实现最佳生长。据报道，拟南芥生长室将是PI基因功能测定平台的关键组件之一。这个生长室是专门为拟南芥的生长而设计的，为表型分析和遗传筛选提供了受控环境。获得这样的拟南芥生长室将允许观察和记录从幼苗到成熟植株的许多发育阶段的表型。需要资金(28,501美元)来购买一个拟南芥生长室，专门用于由NSERC发现赠款资助的题为“拟南芥RACK1的作用的分子机制”的提案中描述的研究计划，拟南芥RACK1是活化蛋白激酶C受体的同源受体。

Arabidopsis is a model organism for agricultural biotechnology, providing the opportunity to get key insights into the way that gene function can affect crop improvement. With the completion of the Arabidopsis genome sequencing project, the current challenge is the determination of gene function. A complete understanding of a gene's function relies on the phenotypic analysis of the mutant alleles and transgenic lines for the gene of interest. However, the manifestation of phenotype relies on the growth conditions. Subtle phenotypes are often missed in less desirable conditions. Therefore, a controllable growth environment is essential for the phenotypic analysis of Arabidopsis mutants and transgenic lines. Because of its small size, rosette growth habit, and short life cycle, an optimal growth of Arabidopsis can be achieved in a growth chamber specifically designed for this model laboratory plant.                The proposed Arabidopsis growth chamber will be one of the key components for the PI's gene function determination platform. This growth chamber is specific designed for Arabidopsis growth, providing controlled environments for phenotypic analysis and genetic screen. The acquisition of such an Arabidopsis growth chamber would permit the observation and record of the phenotypes at many developmental stages, from seedlings to mature plants. Funds ($28,501) are requested to purchase an Arabidopsis growth chamber devoted to the research program described in the proposal entitled "Molecular mechanisms of the action of Arabidopsis RACK1, an ortholog of receptor for activated protein kinase C", funded by the NSERC Discovery Grants.