Acquisition of a Laser Scanning Confocal Microscope for Plant Science Research

该合同为购买配备光谱成像设备的现代激光扫描共聚焦显微镜提供支持。该仪器将用于植物及其病原体功能基因组学研究的蛋白质定位。该仪器将允许同时显示生物样品中的多个蛋白质和/或核酸，并允许通过使用FRET(荧光共振能量转移)确认蛋白质和RNA的共存。将受益的研究项目包括：利用酵母作为模式宿主系统进行植物病毒复制的研究，以确定复制所需的寄主因素；植物病原真菌稻瘟病菌基因组的组织、进化和不稳定性的研究；拟南芥蛋白AGL15在胚胎发育中的作用研究；以及旨在识别负责产生横纹病毒感染的植物细胞的新的细胞内膜特征的寄主基因的研究。该仪器将加强对本科生、研究生和博士后的研究培训。此外，所获得的知识可能会导致控制动植物病毒病的新策略，开发新的基于病毒的基因表达载体，并提高作物产量。

This award provides support for purchase of a modern laser scanning confocal microscope equipped for spectral imaging. The instrument will be used for protein localization for functional genomics studies of plants and their pathogens. The instrument will permit simultaneous visualization of multiple proteins and/or of nucleic acids in biological samples, and permit confirmation of co-localization of proteins and RNAs through use of FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer). Among the research programs that will benefit are studies of plant virus replication using yeast as a model host system for identification of host factors required for replication, studies of the organization, evolution and instability of the genome of the plant pathogenic fungus Magnaporthe grisea, studies of role of the Arabidopsis protein AGL15 in embryonic development, and studies aimed at identifying host genes responsible for production of novel cell endomembranes characteristic of rhabdovirus-infected plant cells. The instrument will enhance research training of students at the undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral level. In addition, the knowledge gained may lead to new strategies for control of viral diseases of animals and plants, development of new viral-based gene expression vectors, and improved crop productivity.