CAREER: Potassium and Chloride Channels in Roots and the Plant Physiology Curriculum

9734478斯伯丁离子通道是一种蛋白质分子，它引导带电原子或原子团（离子）穿过细胞膜的油性、脂质双层。最近的研究表明，离子通过通道运输是植物用来检测激素、光、重力和温度等信号的机制的重要组成部分。斯伯丁博士建议进行实验，测试pi最近克隆的基因是否会编码氯离子通道，pi发现氯离子通道在探测对幼苗生长发育很重要的光信号中起作用。这种基因的克隆将使分子遗传学和生物物理技术的融合成为可能，为促进PI对环境如何影响植物生长和发育的理解创造了独特的机会。幼苗根将是本研究的重点，因为刚才提到的氯离子通道对于根毛的形成也是必要的，根毛是一种特殊的细胞，对从土壤中吸收养分和水分很重要。还将进行旨在确定AKT1通道在拟南芥根系吸收钾（一种必需元素）中的作用的实验。缺乏AKT1基因的突变植物将用于前所未有的遗传和生物物理结合研究这一重要的农艺学吸收过程。对于该提案的教育部分，斯伯丁博士将开发实验室练习，以加强植物生理学课程中离子通道和膜运输的教学。将编写一份参考手册，免费分发给感兴趣的教育工作者。

9734478 Spalding Ion channels are protein molecules that conduct electrically charged atoms or groups of atoms (ions) across the oily, lipid bilayer of cellular membranes. Recent research has shown that ion transport by channels is an important component of the mechanisms plants use to detect signals such as hormones, light, gravity, and temperature. Dr. Spalding proposes experiments that will test whether a gene the PIs have recently cloned encodes the chloride channel that the PIs have found to function in the detection of light cues important to seedling growth and development. The cloning of such a gene would enable the amalgamation of molecular genetic and biophysical techniques, creating unique opportunities to advance the PI's understanding of how the environment influences the growth and development of plants. The seedling root will be the focus of the present work because the chloride channel just mentioned is also necessary for the formation of root hairs, specialized cells important to the task of absorbing nutrients and water from the soil. Also to be performed are experiments designed to determine the role of the AKT1 channel in the uptake of potassium, an essential element, by roots of the Arabidopsis plant. A mutant plant lacking the AKT1 gene will be used in an unprecedented combination of genetic and biophysical studies of this agronomically important uptake process. For the educational component of this proposal, Dr. Spalding will develop laboratory exercises that will enhance the teaching of ion channels and membrane transport in the plant physiology curriculum. A reference manual will be prepared and distributed freely to interested educators.