Arabidopsis 2010 Collaborative Research: The Synthesis and Function of Arabidopsis Thaliana Sphingolipids

鞘磷脂已被证明在调节动物和真菌的细胞过程中既作为膜成分又作为信号分子发挥重要作用。虽然鞘脂在数量上是特定植物膜的重要成分，而且最近的证据表明，鞘脂在植物中作为信号分子，但令人惊讶的是，人们对植物鞘脂的功能知之甚少。这一2010年的项目重点是预测参与鞘脂新陈代谢的基因网络。有关该项目的更多信息，包括将被研究的特定基因清单，请访问http://bio.usuhs.mil/2010.html.。将确定这些基因，并确定编码蛋白的功能(例如，基因产物催化的特定反应、其底物特异性、亚细胞定位、在组织中的表达和活性)。不同的鞘脂在植物中的具体作用将通过鉴定突变的植物的性质和行为来确定，这些突变的植物具有特定的鞘脂代谢基因缺陷，因此不能合成给定的鞘脂。这项研究将有助于理解鞘脂在植物生长和发育中的作用，以及植物对生物和非生物胁迫的反应。该项目不仅将使我们对植物鞘脂本身的新陈代谢和功能有深刻的了解，而且预计这些努力还将与2010年的其他侧重于信号转导、抗病和糖基转移酶的项目交叉。虽然这项工作的主要成果将在科学期刊上发表并在会议上介绍，但定期更新进展情况和已发表工作的摘要以及会议介绍将张贴在上述网址上，以促进信息共享。这项合作工作涉及来自截然不同的机构的五名调查员，他们拥有互补的专业知识，以成功完成这项工作。这一努力的所有方面都将涉及博士后助理、研究生、本科生和高中生，预计这些人将培养对合作研究好处的认识。

Sphingolipids have been demonstrated to play important roles as both membrane components and as signaling molecules involved in regulating cellular processes in animals and fungi. While sphingolipids are quantitatively important components of specific plant membranes and recent evidence indicates that sphingolipids serve as signaling molecules in plants, surprisingly little is known about plant sphingolipid function. This 2010 project focuses on the network of genes predicted to be involved in sphingolipid metabolism. Further information about the project including a list of the specific genes to be investigated is available at http://bio.usuhs.mil/2010.html. These genes will be identified and the functions of the encoded proteins (e.g., the specific reaction catalyzed by the gene product, its substrate specificity, subcellular location, expression and activity in tissues) will be determined. The specific roles of different sphingolipids in plants will be determined by characterizing the properties and behavior of mutant plants defective in specific sphingolipid metabolic genes and so incapable of synthesizing a given sphingolipid. This research will lead to an understanding of the role of sphingolipids in plant growth and development as well as the response of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses. This project will not only result in a profound increase in our understanding of the metabolism and function of plant sphingolipids per se, but it is anticipated that these efforts will also intersect with other 2010 projects focusing on signaling, disease resistance and glycosyltransferases. While the major results of the work will be published in scientific journals and presented at meetings, regular updates of progress and abstracts of published work and meetings presentations will be posted at the web address given above to facilitate information sharing. This collaborative effort involves five investigators at distinctly different institutions with the complementary expertise to successfully accomplish this work. All facets of this effort will involve post-doctoral associates, graduate students, undergraduates and high school students and it is expected that these individuals will develop an appreciation for the benefits of collaborative research.