AB14: A Putative Transcription Factor Regulating Arabidopsis Seed ABA Response

植物激素脱落酸（ABA）调控植物生长发育的许多方面，影响作物产量，包括胚胎发生、水分关系和对各种环境胁迫的耐受性。我们的长期目标是研究参与ABA反应的元素的功能和相互作用。芬克尔斯坦博士最近克隆了种子对ABA反应所需的基因AB14，并发现它编码了一种与一类转录因子同源的蛋白质。本提案中概述的实验将表征AB14在植物内合成的位置和时间，其生化功能，并研究其在协调种子发育中与其他基因产物的相互作用。我们的假设是AB14是一个小的转录因子家族的种子特异性成员，其中至少有一个（AB14）参与种子和/或aba基因表达的调控，可能与其他转录因子联合。PI希望这些研究对了解该基因家族其他成员的活动具有普遍意义。此外，它们可能对种子营养和贮藏品质的潜在操纵具有实际意义。

9728297 Finkelstein The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates many aspects of plant growth and development affecting crop productivity, including embryogenesis, water relations and tolerance of a variety of environmental stresses. Our long term goal is to study the function and interaction of elements involved in responses to ABA. Dr. Finkelstein has recently cloned a gene required for seed responses to ABA, AB14, and found it to encode a protein with homology to a class of transcription factors. The experiments outlined in this proposal will characterize the location and timing of AB14 synthesis within the plant, its biochemical function, and investigate its interactions with other gene products in coordinating seed development. Our hypothesis is that AB14 is a seed-specific member of a small family of transcription factors, at least one of which (AB14) participates in seed- and/or ABA-regulation of gene expression, possibly in combination with other transcription factors. The PI expects these studies to have general relevance to understanding the activities of the other members of this gene family. Furthermore, they may have practical significance for potential manipulation of seed nutritional and storage qualities.