Multi-sample homogenizer for rapid nucleic acid and metabolite extraction from woody plants

本申请为植物和森林生物学研究的多样品均质机申请资金。这项由该基金支持的研究旨在了解森林树木对环境的适应，围绕着防御害虫以及植物对氮的吸收。该研究的一个方向是了解杨树和其他树木如何抵御草食，以及蛋白质和酚类次生代谢物在这一过程中的作用。植物对昆虫攻击或伤害的反应是基因表达的快速变化，导致各种有毒和抗营养蛋白质和毒素的积累。我们利用杂交杨树和颤杨研究了这种诱导的草食动物防御反应，鉴定了100多个快速诱导基因，并在体外和转基因植物中对其中一些进行了测试。我们也对杨树诱导次生代谢物感兴趣，特别是缩合单宁和类黄酮，这些植物化学物质在自然界中具有抗菌、抗草食活性，对人类有潜在的健康促进作用。所要求的经费支持的另一个研究领域是探索适应和适应森林土壤中氮形态和缺乏的生理机制。在温带和北方森林土壤中，氮素利用率低往往限制了树木的生长。在根细胞和全根水平上的研究使我们能够研究灌木和针叶树物种或科之间的遗传差异，对氮形态的偏好，有无菌根关联的吸收速率，以及根区温度和pH值的影响。

This application is to request funds for multi-sample homogenizer for plant and forest biology research. The research to be supported by this funding aims to understand forest tree adaptations to their environment, revolving around defense against pests as well as plant nitrogen uptake. One axis of the research to be supported aims to understand how Populus and other trees defend themselves against herbivory, and the roles of proteins and phenolic secondary metabolites in this process. Plants respond to insect attacks or wounding with rapid changes in gene expression, leading to the accumulation of diverse toxic and antinutritive proteins and toxins. We have been investigating this induced herbivore defense response using both hybrid poplar and trembling aspen, have identified a suite of over 100 rapidly induced genes, and tested some of these in vitro and in transgenic plants. We are also interested in induced secondary metabolites in poplar, specifically condensed tannins and flavonoids, plant chemicals with antimicrobial, antiherbivore activity in nature, and potential health-promoting in humans. Another research area to be supported by the requested funding is the exploration of physiological mechanisms of adaptation and acclimation to nitrogen forms and deficiency in forest soils. In temperate and boreal forests soils, low nitrogen availability often limits tree growth. Studies at the root cell and whole-root levels allow us to examine genetic differences among shrub and conifer species or families, for preference of nitrogen form, uptake rates with and without mycorrhizal association, and effects of root zone temperature and pH.