bHLH转录因子DYT1调控花药发育的结构基础和分子机理

拟南芥bHLH转录因子DYT1及其水稻中的同源蛋白（OsUDT1）为花药正常发育所必需。DYT1调控AMS，MS1，MYB80，MYB99等一系列必需基因的表达，但其调控下游基因时空特异性表达的机制尚不清楚。本课题组研究发现DYT1可以和多个转录因子相互作用，并且发现一个植物特异且在很多bHLH家族成员间保守的DYT结构域；该结构域在DYT1与其他转录因子相互作用及特异性方面发挥重要作用，很可能与调节下游特异基因的时空表达相关。这些结果为揭示花药转录调控机制奠定的基础。本项目拟综合利用分子生物学、细胞生物学、结构生物学与生化手段，揭示DYT1在花药发育过程中接收上游信号并调控下游基因时空特异性表达的分子机制，分析DYT1转录活性的结构基础，明确植物中DYT1同源bHLH转录因子家族在植物的生殖发育过程中发挥作用的核心元件和通用机制，为有效利用这些机制进行遗传改良、提高作物产量提供理论支持。

The bHLH transcription factor AtDYT1 and its homologue OsUDT1 is essential for the normal development of anthers.DYT1 regulates the transcription of numerous anther-required genes including AMS, MS1, MB80, MYB99. However, the machanism on how DYT1 regulate the transcription of downstream genes especially on the time and space specificity still remains elusive. Previous studies in our group found DYT1 interacted with more than 20 transcription factors which regulated the expression of partial DYT1 down stream genes. We also found that a novel plant specific conserved domain are important for both the ability that DYT1 interacting with its parterners and the specificity that DYT1 bind to its target DNA sequence, suggesting this domain may play important role in the control of the specificity that when and where DYT1 regulates its target genes expression. Based on these data, this project will comprehensively using the structral biology, molecular biology, cell biology, and biochemistry methods, analyse the structural control of the transcriptional activity of DYT1, uncover the molecular mechanism that how DYT1 was activated and control the transcription of downstream transcriptional network, reveal the commen regulatory element and mechanism between DYT1 and its homologues. Thus, this project will provide strong academic evidences and theoretical support on manipulation of crop to increase the fertility and the production.