Molecular Regulation of Isoprenoid Metabolism in Plant-Pathogen Interactions

9729590查佩尔植物异戊二烯类化合物包括一组结构不同的化合物；一些是植物生长发育所必需的，另一些是植物与环境相互作用的重要调节剂。例如，当减毒的病原体被加入茄科植物细胞培养物中时，培养物停止产生甾醇(必需的代谢物)，而是合成和分泌抗生素倍半萜。甾醇生物合成的下降与一个关键酶(角鲨烯合成酶)的抑制和另一个关键酶(倍半萜环酶)的诱导倍半萜生物合成有关。PI的长期目标是了解这种控制是如何施加到这两个关键酶上的。目前的目标是评估两个特定的信号分子如何协调这一调控，并研究几种分子机制如何有助于调节角鲨烯合成酶和甾醇代谢。这些研究应该为如何利用基因工程技术操纵这一途径以提高价值提供重要的见解。

9729590 Chappell Plant isoprenoids comprise a structurally diverse group of compounds; some are essential for plant growth and development and others are important mediators of plant-environment interactions. For example, when attenuated pathogens are added to solanaceous plant cell cultures, the cultures cease sterol production (essential metabolite), and instead synthesize and secrete antibiotic sesquiterpenes. The decline in sterol biosynthesis has been correlated with the suppression of one key enzyme (squalene synthase), and the induction of sesquiterpene biosynthesis with the induction of another key enzyme (sesquiterpene cyclase). The PI's long range goal is to understand how this control is imposed onto these two key enzymes. The current objectives are to evaluate how two particular signal molecules might orchestrate this regulation, and to examine how several molecular mechanisms might contribute to the regulation of squalene synthase and sterol metabolism. These studies should provide important insights into how this pathway can be manipulated for enhanced value using genetic engineering technology.