动物对环境有多样的适应机制，甲壳类的卤虫经长期进化形成的休眠胚胎可使其在高盐、低温及缺氧等条件下生存。在此过程中细胞静息、代谢及发育停滞等是休眠胚胎形成的关键。我们的前期研究明确了AMPK，p90RSK，PLK1，Larp及p8等在休眠胚胎形成过程中调控的分子途径及功能，重要的是发现了核蛋白（ArDEK）及组蛋白甲基化酶（ArSETD）调控异染色质形成及上述各分子通路，是决定胚胎休眠及细胞静息的关键途径，为本项目奠定了重要基础。本项目通过休眠胚胎细胞中异染色质结构的基本特征，组蛋白修饰及细胞核蛋白对异染色质形成的作用及其在静息细胞整体基因转录调控的研究，明确异染色质形成的调控分子机制并揭示卤虫胚胎休眠及细胞静息机制。细胞静息在各种生物中普遍存在，其机制复杂且尚未被阐明，是当前研究的难点和热点问题。本项目不仅在揭示动物对极端环境适应机制上而且对研究人组织干细胞静息机制上有重要的意义。

Animal adapts environments with many mechanism, Artemia of crustacean has evolved to produce the diapause embryos during long period that can survive in harsh such as high salinity, low temperature and hypoxia. Cell quiescence, arrest of metabolism and development are critical for diapsuse embryos formation. In our previous studies, we have elucidated that the signaling pathways ofAMPK, p90RSK, PLK1, Larp and p8 plays important roles during diapaus embryo formation, more important, we found that then nucleic protein (ArDEK) and Histon methylation enzyme (ArSETD) control heterochromatin formation and signaling pathways above that is key pathway in determine of the formation of diapause embryos and cell quiescence. Based on the results, we will first characterize the heterochromatin structure in the cells of diapause embryo of Artemia in this investigation. Furthermore, we will analyze the function of amplifications of histone proteins and nucleic proteins on the formation of heterochromatin and the regulation of whole transcription in the quiescent cells. The study will elucidate the mechanism of the regulation of heterochromatin formation in diapause embryos and cell quiescence. The cell quiescence is complex and universal in all organism, but not clear up to date that is difficulty and hot point in the field of cell biology. The Artemia system provides an excellent model system in which to study the molecular mechanisms of cell cycle arrest in cell dormancy and quiescence. Our study in this project will demonstrate the adaptation mechanism of animal to extreme environments and the results will be also important for elucidate the molecular mechanism of regulation of cell quiescence on the study of quiescence mechanism of human somatic stem cell.