POWRE: Metabolism of the Plant Hormone Indole-3-Acetic Acid During Somatic Embryogenesis

培养的胡萝卜细胞经生长素处理后可形成体细胞胚胎(不涉及受精)。当体细胞胚胎发生时，细胞中吲哚-3-乙酸(IAA)的水平下降至少10倍，IAA的合成切换到非色氨酸途径。老年胚胎中IAA的含量、其形式(游离态或结合态)、其在胚胎中的位置以及这些变化在发育过程中是如何发生的，都是未知的。了解体细胞胚胎发生对于稀有植物的繁殖和作物改良的植物遗传操作具有重要意义。Shea博士的研究项目的目的是测量体细胞胚胎发育后期的生长素水平，研究体细胞胚胎发育后期IAA的生物合成途径，并研究外源生长素来源对胚胎发生的影响。谢伊博士在长期缺席之后，正在回归积极的研究领域，目前在校外自愿从事研究工作，而不是终身教职。她的目标是获得一份有研究机会的终身教职。这笔POWRE拨款将允许她在校园内建立一个包括学生在内的积极研究计划，提供参加科学会议和与其他科学家建立网络的机会，并向潜在雇主展示此类植物研究可以吸引外部资金。

Carrot cells in culture can be induced to form somatic embryos (no fertilization involved) by pre-treatment with auxin. When somatic embryogenesis occurs, cellular levels of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) drop at least 10-fold and IAA synthesis switches to the non-tryptophan pathway. The amount of IAA in older embryos, its form (free or bound), its location in the embryo, and how these changes occur during development, are unknown. Understanding somatic embryogenesis is important for the propagation of rare plants and for genetic manipulation of plants for crop improvement. The aims of Dr. Shea's research project are to measure the levels of auxin in late stages of somatic embryo development, to examine the pathway of IAA biosynthesis in late stages of somatic embryo development, and to study the influence of exogenous auxin sources on embryogenesis. Dr. Shea is returning to active research after a long absence and is currently in a non-tenure-track teaching position while doing research voluntarily off-campus. Her goal is to obtain a tenure-track position with research opportunities. This POWRE grant will allow her to establish an active research program on campus that will include students, provide opportunities to attend scientific meetings and network with other scientists, and show potential employers that such plant research can attract extramural funding.