The molecular analysis of low temperature and freezing stress resistance

抗低温和冷冻胁迫的分子分析

• 批准号: 3394-2012
• 负责人: Walker, Virginia
• 金额: $ 3.86万
• 依托单位: Queen's University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2016
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2016-01-01 至 2017-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=592744
• 关键词: molecular; analysis; low; temperature; freezing

Some fish and insects are protected from freezing by making ice-binding proteins that stick to embryonic ice crystals and prevent ice growth by blocking the addition of more water molecules. Thus, these proteins significantly lower the freezing temperature. However, ice-binding proteins are also found, but little known, in a few organisms such as plants, insects and bacteria that survive even if they are frozen. This proposal first seeks to test if ice-binding proteins are vital for survival, something that has never been done before. Further investigations will determine if the proteins in freeze-tolerant organisms defend against low-temperature pathogens, and if they can help protect host cell membranes at low temperatures. The special properties of these proteins from freeze-tolerant organisms, including (somewhat ironically) their inability to significantly depress the freezing point, makes them especially useful for understanding the mechanisms of ice binding. This is something that cannot be done so easily with the better known, more active proteins from species that do not freeze. Canada's geography and food security demands that in the future, crops will have to be grown further north and so the transfer of freeze-tolerance will have economic benefits. As well, these proteins have medical applications for tissue cryopreservation. Our discovery that ice-binding proteins inhibit dangerous gas hydrates that spontaneously form during gas and oil exploration and transport (with disastrous consequences) means that in the future, the rational design of materials based on these proteins will directly benefit the health and safety of many Canadians. This research program on the molecular analysis of low temperature and freezing stress resistance has been specifically designed for instruction of students and will appeal to young trainees who want to address problems that they see as relevant and compelling.

一些鱼类和昆虫通过制造粘在胚胎冰晶上的冰结合蛋白来防止冻结，并通过阻止更多水分子的加入来阻止冰的生长。因此，这些蛋白质显著降低了冷冻温度。然而，在植物、昆虫和细菌等少数即使被冷冻也能存活的生物中，也发现了冰结合蛋白，但鲜为人知。这项提议首先试图测试冰结合蛋白是否对生存至关重要，这是以前从未做过的事情。进一步的研究将确定抗冻生物体中的蛋白质是否能抵御低温病原体，以及它们是否能在低温下帮助保护宿主细胞膜。这些来自抗冻生物体的蛋白质的特殊性质，包括（有点讽刺的是）它们不能显著降低冰点，使它们对理解冰结合机制特别有用。这对于那些更知名的、更活跃的、来自不会冻结的物种的蛋白质来说是不容易做到的。加拿大的地理位置和粮食安全要求，在未来，农作物将不得不种植在更北的地方，因此抗冻能力的转移将具有经济效益。同样，这些蛋白质在组织冷冻保存方面也有医学应用。我们发现冰结合蛋白抑制天然气和石油勘探和运输过程中自发形成的危险天然气水合物（造成灾难性后果），这意味着在未来，基于这些蛋白质的合理设计材料将直接有益于许多加拿大人的健康和安全。这个低温和抗冻应力分子分析的研究项目是专门为学生设计的，将吸引那些想要解决他们认为相关和引人注目的问题的年轻学员。