Functional Analysis of BiP as a Plant Molecular Chaperone

小行星9317303 该提案涉及玉米贮藏蛋白（玉米醇溶蛋白），其作为称为蛋白体的球形聚集体储存在ER膜内。 一种分子伴侣已被分离出来，其特征在于在籽粒发育过程中积累，并可能在蛋白质体内蛋白质的有序沉积中发挥关键作用。 该分子伴侣是BiP，并且是在ER和蛋白质体内发现的75 kD多肽。 虽然这种蛋白质的确切作用尚不清楚，但BiP同系物在原核生物和真核生物中都有发现。 该提案的目标是表征BiP和目标蛋白之间的相互作用，在易位到ER的正常和突变体胚乳;研究改变蛋白体形态在发育胚乳的fl 2，De-B30和Mc突变体的分子基础;并确定翻译后修饰是否与植物中的BiP功能相关。 本提案中概述的研究将增加我们对重要储存储备的运输和积累过程的认识。它们也是设计新的战略，引入新的基因产品，以改善植物生长和质量的关键。 ***

9317303 Boston The proposal concerns the maize storage proteins (zeins), that are stored within ER membranes as spherical aggregates called protein bodies. A molecular chaperon has been isolated and characterized that accumulates during kernel development and may play a critical role in the ordered deposition of the proteins within protein bodies. This molecular chaperon is BiP, and is a 75 kD polypeptide that is found within the ER and the protein bodies. Although the exact role of this protein is not known, BiP homologues are found in both prokayotes and eukaryotes. The goals of the proposal are to characterize the interactions between BiP and target proteins during translocation to the ER of normal and mutant endosperm; to investigate the molecular basis of altered protein body morphology in developing endosperm of fl2,De-B30 and Mc mutants; and to determine if post translational modifications are correlated with BiP function in plants. %%% The studies outlined in this proposal will increase our knowledge of the processes regulating transport and accumulation of the important storage reserves. They are also essential for devising new strategies for introducing new gene products to improve plant growth and quality. ***