Comparative and functional genomics of fibre development and natural product biosynthesis

纤维发育和天然产物生物合成的比较和功能基因组学

• 批准号: 36485-2007
• 负责人: Douglas, Carl
• 金额: $ 5.76万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2009-01-01 至 2010-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=420986
• 关键词: Comparative; functional; genomics; fibre; development

The evolution of the land plant habit has culminated in the vast array of vascular plant species that now dominate terrestrial ecosystems and are essential in providing food, fibre, and energy for human activities. Key evolutionary innovations were likely required for the adaptation of land plants to the terrestrial environment, including evolution of metabolic pathways for defense, communication, and structural purposes. Furthermore, development of cellulose and lignin-rich secondary cell walls in xylem and secondary xylem (wood) was required in vascular land plants for structural support and nutrient/water transport. The focus of this proposal is on the nature and regulation of key processes such as natural product biosynthesis and fibre/secondary cell wall/wood differentiation and formation in model plants (Arabidopsis, moss, poplar) and commercially valuable (poplar, spruce) trees. Specifically, our experiments will investigate newly discovered genes encoding enzymes for a potentially novel class of natural products required for pollen viability and genes encoding enzymes for the biosynthesis of the signaling compound jasmonic acid, required for response to environmental stresses such as insect attack. We will also study regulatory genes such as transcription factors and receptor kinases involved in programming cells to differentiate into xylem and fibre cells rich in cellulose and lignin, and study a class of cell wall localized chitinase-like proteins that appear to facilitate cellulose deposition into cell walls. This research will provide basic information about these unique aspects of plant function and suggest how these processes might be modified, with potential practical spin-offs in plant fertility control and resistance to insect pests. The work on regulation of secondary cell wall formation and fibre/xylem differentiation has important implications for understanding the formation of biomaterials (fibre and wood) that will be increasingly important as energy and carbon sources in the coming decades and may suggest new ways to manipulate and/or select for plant and tree genetic variants that will be more amenable for biomass and/or biofuels applications.

陆地植物习性的进化在大量维管植物物种中达到了顶峰，这些物种现在主导着陆地生态系统，对为人类活动提供食物、纤维和能量至关重要。陆地植物适应陆地环境可能需要关键的进化创新，包括用于防御、交流和结构目的的代谢途径的进化。此外，在维管植物的木质部和次生木质部（木材）中，纤维素和富含木质素的次生细胞壁的发育是结构支持和营养/水分运输所必需的。该提案的重点是模式植物（拟南芥，苔藓，杨树）和商业价值（杨树，云杉）树木的天然产物生物合成和纤维/次生细胞壁/木材分化和形成等关键过程的性质和调控。具体来说，我们的实验将研究新发现的编码花粉活力所需的一类潜在新型天然产物酶的基因，以及编码信号化合物茉莉酸生物合成酶的基因，茉莉酸是应对环境胁迫（如昆虫攻击）所必需的。我们还将研究调控基因，如转录因子和受体激酶，这些基因参与编程细胞分化为富含纤维素和木质素的木质部和纤维细胞，并研究一类细胞壁定位的几丁质酶样蛋白质，这些蛋白质似乎有助于纤维素沉积到细胞壁。这项研究将提供关于植物功能的这些独特方面的基本信息，并建议如何修改这些过程，在植物肥力控制和抗虫害方面具有潜在的实际附带效益。次生细胞壁形成和纤维/木质部分化的调控工作对理解生物材料（纤维和木材）的形成具有重要意义，这些材料将在未来几十年成为越来越重要的能源和碳源，并可能提出操纵和/或选择更适合生物质和/或生物燃料应用的植物和树木遗传变异的新方法。