Functional Genomics of Maize Centromeres

着丝粒是组织和调节染色体运动的大的染色体结构域。它们含有数千个简单重复序列和数百个基于RNA的转座因子，所有这些都很难在实验室中测序和操作。尽管有这些挑战，哺乳动物着丝粒DNA已被利用来创建“人工染色体”，可以携带长片段的工程DNA。人工染色体在农业上也有广泛的应用。例如，可以同时引入整个生化途径或多种抗病性。该奖项下进行的实验将填补我们对植物着丝粒理解的主要空白，并为在玉米和水稻中创造人工染色体奠定基础。结果信息将通过在线资源和公开发表的文章分发。为了扩大植物遗传学的培训机会，将启动两个新的项目。一个项目将联合收割机现有的校园少数民族参与项目，并在格鲁吉亚大学建立一个植物生物学基因组学中心。植物细胞遗传学的实践培训也将通过威斯康星州大学的年度细胞遗传学培训讲习班（ACTW）提供。ACTW将提供荧光原位杂交、免疫定位、染色质免疫沉淀和其他染色体研究所需的先进技术方面的培训。

Centromeres are large chromosome domains that organize and regulate chromosomemovement. They contain thousands of simple repeated sequences and hundreds ofRNA-based transposable elements, all of which are difficult to sequence and manipulate in thelaboratory. Despite these challenges, mammalian centromeric DNA has been exploited to create'artificial chromosomes' that can carry long segments of engineered DNA. Artificial chromosomescould also have widespread applications in agriculture. For instance, entire biochemicalpathways or multiple disease resistances could be introduced simultaneously. The experimentscarried out under this award will fill major gaps in our understanding of plant centromeres and buildthe foundation for creating artificial chromosomes in maize and rice. The resultinginformation will be distributed through online resources and published articles that are readily availablein the public domain.To expand training opportunities in plant genetics, two new programs will be initiated.One will combine existing on-campus minority involvement programs and establish aplant biology genomics focus at the University of Georgia. Hands-on training in plantcytogenetics will also be offered through an Annual Cytogenetics Training Workshop (ACTW) at theUniversity of Wisconsin. The ACTW will provide training in fluorescent in situhybridization,immunolocalization, chromatin immunoprecipitation, and other advanced techniquesnecessary for chromosome-based research.