Ribosomal proteins and heterogeneity of the plant ribosome

拟南芥是一种小型植物，与油菜属于同一家族，其基因组在2000年被测序。核糖体是一个小的细胞机器，有助于将遗传信息转化为所有细胞中的蛋白质。拟南芥核糖体由80个核糖体蛋白（rps -由247个基因编码）和四个核糖体RNA（rRNA）组成，排列在两个亚基中，一个大，一个小。核糖体功能依赖于每个rp和rRNA的大致等摩尔缔合。我的研究项目主要集中在确定协调表达rRNA和RPS所需的信号。我对rps S15 a（S -小亚基）和L23 a（L -大亚基）特别感兴趣。S15 a需要首先与其rRNA结合，从而引发rRNA以添加后续rps，直到小亚基组装完成。L23 a是所有细胞中连接核糖体大亚基与蛋白质分泌途径的重要rp。与酵母和动物不同，每种植物的rp在每种细胞中都可以产生稍微不同的变异（同种型）。我感兴趣的是确定哪些细胞信号调节哪种异构体在哪种组织中产生，或者，如果一次产生一种以上的异构体，那么植物细胞内核糖体的异质性如何影响该细胞的功能。干扰rp的产生会影响核糖体的组装和功能，从而影响植物生长发育的速度。因此，了解rp基因是如何调控的是一个重要方面的更广泛的目标，即如何发展的重要作物品种，农艺可能会被操纵，以我们的优势。

Arabidopsis is a small plant, in the same family as canola, whose genome was sequenced in 2000. The ribosome is a small cellular machine that assists in the conversion of genetic information into proteins in all cells. The Arabidopsis ribosome is comprised of 80 ribosomal proteins (rps - encoded by 247 genes) and four ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs) arranged in two subunits, one large and one small. Ribosome function is dependent upon roughly equimolar association of each rp and rRNA. My research programme is focused on determining the signals required for coordinated expression of the rRNAs and rps. I am particularly interested in the rps S15a (S - small subunit) and L23a (L - large subunit). S15a is required to bind to its rRNA first and thereby prime the rRNA for the addition of subsequent rps until the small subunit is assembled. L23a is an important rp linking the large subunit of the ribosome to the protein secretary pathway in all cells. Unlike yeast and animals, slightly different variations (isoforms) of each plant rp can be made in each cell. I am interested in determining what cellular cues regulate which isoform is produced in which tissue or, if more than one isoform is produced at a time, how does the resulting heterogeneity of the ribosomes within a plant cell effect the functionality of that cell. Perturbing rp production impacts ribosome assembly and function and as such can effect the rate at which plants grow and develop. Therefore, understanding how rp genes are regulated is an important aspect of the broader goal of how the development of agronomically important crop species might be manipulated to our advantage.