The Role of Pollen LRX Proteins in Plant Reproduction

帕特里夏·贝丁格0421097号提案“花粉LRX蛋白在植物繁殖中的作用”项目摘要植物的有性繁殖需要花粉和雌蕊之间的许多识别事件，花粉带有精子，雌蕊含有卵子。目前，对植物性别识别的分子机制知之甚少。本研究旨在阐明花粉富含亮氨酸重复延伸蛋白(LRX)在植物繁殖中的作用。将使用三种方法：遗传学，分析突变体，以在没有蛋白质的情况下测试繁殖成功；分子，测试蛋白质工程形式的功能；以及生化，寻找在分子水平上起作用的识别因素。预计这些研究将通过特定的蛋白质-蛋白质相互作用揭示植物中雄性-雌性识别的信息。此外，可能会对蛋白质如何固定在植物的细胞壁上有一些了解，这是一个困扰植物科学家数十年的问题。这项提案中的工作涉及两个具有广泛社会重要性的问题。首先，美国农业的成功在很大程度上归功于杂交种子的生产，这取决于对农作物授粉的控制。这项提案中概述的研究将进一步加深我们对授粉所涉及的基本分子识别步骤的理解。其次，转基因作物中的转基因是否会通过授粉传播到非作物物种，这是一个合理的担忧。拟议的活动将阐明授粉的控制，并可能提出分子保障措施，以防止无意中的转基因传播。

Patricia Bedinger Proposal No. 0421097 "The Role of Pollen LRX Proteins in Plant Reproduction"Project Summary Sexual reproduction in plants requires many recognition events between pollen, which bears the sperm, and pistils, which contain the eggs. Currently, the molecular mechanisms mediating sexual recognition in plants are poorly understood. The work in this proposal seeks to illuminate the role of pollen Leucine-Rich Repeat-Extensin chimeric (LRX) proteins in plant reproduction. Three approaches will be used: genetics, analyzing mutants to test for reproductive success in the absence of the proteins; molecular, to test for function of engineered forms of the proteins; and biochemical, to find recognition factors that function at the molecular level. It is expected that these studies will reveal information about male-female recognition in plants through specific protein-protein interactions. In addition, some understanding of how proteins can become anchored into cell walls in plants, an issue that has puzzled plant scientists for decades, may be gained. The work in this proposal addresses two issues of broad societal importance. First, much of the success of agriculture in the United States is due to the production of hybrid seed, which depends on controlling pollination in crop plants. The studies outlined in this proposal will further our understanding of the basic molecular recognition steps involved in pollination. Second, there is a legitimate concern about whether transgenes in genetically modified crops can spread to non-crop species via pollination. The proposed activities will shed light on the control of pollination, and may suggest molecular safeguards to prevent the inadvertent spread of transgenes.