Genetic and Molecular Analysis of Organ Fusion in Arabidopsis

0077979PruittLand植物暴露于各种环境波动和挑战中，需要在植物的最外表面或“皮肤”上进行生物适应。更好地了解这一表面的生物学特性不仅对植物的生长发育具有重要意义，而且直接关系到农业除草剂等人工制剂的有效使用和应用。拟南芥（Arabidopsis thaliana）是芥菜科的一员，被选为这些研究的模式生物。利用这种植物，在阐明植物表面的生物学特性方面已经取得了重大进展。本文所描述的研究将在此基础上展开。植物表面的生物学，因为它特别涉及其生化和分子特性，将使用具有改变表面特性的植物集合来研究。利用这些植物，就有可能识别出与植物外“皮”的建造和维护有关的其他组件。通过识别构成这一复杂外层的成分，并开发出这一表面如何组合在一起的指南，我们将更好地了解植物如何调节对环境的反应和适应。对这些基本过程的深入了解可能会产生深远的经济影响，最终减少杂草管理的成本和杂草对作物生产力损失的影响。减少除草剂的使用还有一个额外的好处，那就是减少现代作物管理方法对环境的影响。

0077979PruittLand plants are exposed to a variety of environmental fluctuations and challenges that require biological adaptations at the outermost surface or "skin" of the plant. A better understanding of the biology of this surface has significance not only for plant growth and development but also pertains directly to the effective use and application of man-made agents such as agricultural herbicides. Arabidopsis thaliana, a member of the mustard family, has been chosen as the model organism for these studies. Significant progress toward elucidating biological features of the plant surface have already been made using this plant. The research described here will expand upon this body of work. The biology of the plant surface as it pertains specifically to its biochemical and molecular properties will be studied using a collection of plants with altered surface properties. Using these plants it will be possible to identify additional components involved in the building and maintenance of the plant outer "skin". By identifying the constituents that make up this complex outer layer and developing a guide for how this surface is put together, a better understanding of how plants mediate responses and adaptations to their environment will be achieved. Insight into these fundamental processes may possibly have far reaching economic consequences by ultimately diminishing the cost of weed management and the impact of weed-based losses in crop productivity. A reduction in herbicide use would have the added benefit of decreasing the environmental impact of modern crop management practices.