拟南芥非典型小热激蛋白BOB1调控植物根毛形成的分子机制研究

根毛是由根表皮细胞分化而来的特殊结构，是植物吸收水分、养分以及固着植物的重要器官，理想的根毛布局是植物生存的有力保障，是作物高产、稳产的基础；根毛也是研究植物细胞分化的优良系统，因此研究植物根毛发育的分子调控机制，具有重要的科学意义和潜在的实际应用价值。前期工作中我们发现一个拟南芥非典型小热激蛋白BOB1参与促进根毛形成，bob1-3突变体中根毛数量显著减少，根毛细胞分裂速度降低，并且BOB1能与细胞周期激酶抑制子KRP2物理互作。本项目将以此为基础，拟通过BOB1控制根毛形成的表型分析，BOB1通过细胞周期控制根毛形成的分子机制研究以及BOB1互作蛋白的筛选和鉴定等工作，揭示BOB1控制根毛形成的分子调控网络。这些研究成果将进一步完善已有的植物表皮细胞分化的分子作用模型，同时也可为植物根系的遗传改良提供理论支撑。

Root hairs are special tubular structures that differentiated from the root epidermal cells, they serve as the pivotal absorbing organs for nutrients and water and the anchoring organ for the plants to soil. The ideal root hair configuration in the root is beneficial for plant survival and also for high and stable crop yield. In addition, root hair is a well-studied model of plant cell differentiation. Therefore, it is of great values both in scientific and application levels to reveal the molecular regulation mechanisms involved in controlling root hair development. During the previous work, we discovered that a noncanonical small heat shock protein BOB1 participating in promoting root hair formation. In bob1-3 mutant, the root hair numbers are remarkably decreased and the cell division rate are reduced, moreover, BOB1 could physically interact with cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor KRP2. Based on these findings, in this project we will further explore detailed pathways mediated by BOB1 in regulating root hair development by performing phenotypic characterizations of BOB1 loss-of-function mutant to understand its root hair defects at cellular and molecular level, unraveling the molecular mechanisms of BOB1 controlling root hair formation through cell cycle control, and identifying new interaction partners of BOB1 during root hair formation. The completion of this research will set up a BOB1-centered root hair formation regulatory network, which is not only beneficial for further improving the existing molecular model of plant epidermal cell differentiation, but also useful for providing theoretical support for genetic improvement of plant roots.