Presidential Young Investigator Award

本研究旨在探讨植物基因表达的调控。重点研究了玉米的两个调控基因c1和p1，它们分别控制种子和植株中花青素色素的合成。遗传和最近获得的分子数据表明，这些基因在功能上是重复的，具有明显的组织特异性。这两个基因的分析为研究植物基因表达的两个非常基本的特征提供了机会：1)调控基因如何在给定的途径中协调控制几个生物合成基因的表达？2)功能重复位点的组织特异性表达的基础是什么？这些问题的答案不仅有助于理解花青素合成调控的具体目标，而且也应适用于解决潜在的重要农艺问题的长期目标。同样，了解花青素合成中涉及的基因之间特定调控相互作用的实验结果可能为最终解开控制植物数量性状（如产量成分）的复杂遗传相互作用提供良好的基础。

This research investigates the regulation of plant gene expression. It focuses on two regulatory genes of maize, c1 and p1, which control the synthesis of anthocyanin pigments in the seed and in the plant, respectively. Genetic and recently obtained molecular data indicate that these genes are functionally duplicate with distinct tissue specificity. Analysis of these two genes afford the opportunity to study two very basic features of plant gene expression: 1) How do regulatory genes coordinately govern the expression of several biosynthetic genes in a given pathway? and 2) What is the basis for tissue-specific expression of functionally duplicate loci?%%% The answers to these questions will not only contribute to the specific aim of understanding the regulation of anthocyanin synthesis, but should also apply to the long-term goal of solving problems of potential agronomic importance. Likewise, the results of experiments to understand specific regulatory interactions between the genes involved in anthocyanin synthesis are likely to provide an excellent basis for eventually unravelling the complex genetic interactions that govern quantitative traits of plants such as the components of yield.