AB15: A bZIP Protein Regulating ABA Response

植物激素脱落酸（阿坝）调节植物生长发育的许多方面，影响作物生产力，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阿坝反应中参与元件的功能和相互作用。拟南芥ABA不敏感基因5（ABI 5）是正常ABA反应所必需的基因之一，我们实验室通过定位克隆的方法鉴定了该基因，并发现其编码的蛋白与bZIP结构域类转录因子具有同源性。本实验将描述ABI 5的表达和生化功能，并研究其与其他基因产物在协调种子发育和阿坝反应中的相互作用。我们的假设是ABI 5参与了基因表达的种子和/或ABA调节，可能与其他转录因子结合。这些研究对了解胚胎和胚胎调控基因表达的信号网络具有普遍意义，而且对种子营养和贮藏品质或营养胁迫耐受性的潜在调控具有实际意义。

The plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates many aspects ofplant growth and development affecting crop productivity, includingembryogenesis, water relations and tolerance of a variety of environmentalstresses. Our long-term goal is to study the function and interaction ofelements involved in response to ABA. One gene required for normal ABAresponse, the Arabidopsis ABA-insensitive 5 (ABI5) locus, has beenidentified by positional cloning in our lab and found to encode a proteinwith homology to the bZIP-domain class of transcription factors. Theexperiments outlined in this proposal will characterize the expression andbiochemical function of ABI5, and investigate its interactions with othergene products in coordinating seed development and response to ABA. Ourhypothesis is that ABI5 participates in seed- and/or ABA-regulation of geneexpression, possibly in combination with other transcription factors. Thesestudies should have general relevance to understanding the signalingnetwork(s) regulating embryonic and hormonally regulated gene expression.Furthermore, they may have practical significance for potentialmanipulation of seed nutritional and storage qualities or vegetative stresstolerance.