Acquisition of LC-MS for Plant Metabolic Profiling

在王雪敏博士的指导下，Donald Danforth植物科学中心获得了一笔资金，用于部分支持液相色谱质谱仪。该仪器将用于植物细胞代谢产物和小分子的灵敏、高效分析。对于某些项目，该仪器将提供化合物的定量和结构解析，而其他项目则需要仪器的灵敏度来检测低丰度化合物或解析化学相似的代谢物。植物代谢产物的分析是阐明植物基因和蛋白质功能、推进植物生物学研究的重要组成部分。该仪器的获得将为整合最先进的研究和教育提供极好的机会。它将使博士后助理，研究生和本科生在代谢物分析的新兴领域的培训。本应用程序中的研究活动将作为一个功能平台，扩大代表性不足的群体参与科学研究。这台最先进的液相色谱质谱仪将支持美国国家科学基金会资助的Donald Danforth植物科学中心、华盛顿大学和密苏里大学圣路易斯市的其他科学家的研究工作。路易。该仪器将支持的研究项目包括：1)分析信号复合物中的细胞介质和鉴定新的脂质物种，以扩大脂质组学的能力；2)干旱胁迫下玉米木质部液成分代谢谱；3)植物鞘脂的组成与代谢；4)核苷酸和磷酸肌醇作为应激适应和激素反应的信号分子；5)次生代谢工程，主要是异黄酮的生物合成；6)植物与病原体相互作用中的激素和化学物质；7)光对拟南芥幼苗发育的影响；8)植物螯合素（一类重金属解毒肽）生物合成的分子机制；9)植物抗线虫感染的植物化学物质。丹佛斯中心在由美国国家科学基金会（REU）和美国农业部（SIP）资助的暑期实习项目中接待本科生，并通过美国国家科学基金会（RET）接待高中教师。REU项目的参与率在2004年超过30%，2005年达到35%。丹佛斯中心和参与的大学致力于通过高质量的研究和公众对科学研究的理解来促进科学的发展。中心的外展活动还包括与圣路易斯科学中心合作的各种科学项目，以及为K-12学生提供科学丰富机会。中心还有一个活跃的国际研究和培训项目，发展中国家的科学家访问中心，在一个前沿研究的环境中生活和工作。在植物代谢组学这一新兴领域中知识的增加也将导致具有增强营养特性和健康益处的食品工程。

A grant has been awarded to the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center under the direction of Dr. Xuemin Wang for partial support of a liquid-chromatography mass spectrometer. This instrument will be used for the sensitive and efficient analysis of plant cellular metabolites and small molecules. For some projects, this instrument will provide quantitation and structural elucidation of compounds, whereas instrument sensitivity is needed by other projects to detect low abundance compounds or to resolve chemically similar metabolites. The analysis of metabolites in plants is a critical component for the elucidation of gene and protein function and for advancing plant biological research. The acquisition of this instrument will provide an excellent opportunity to integrate state-of-the-art research and education. It will enable the training of postdoctoral associates, graduate and undergraduate students in the emerging field of metabolite profiling. The research activities in this application will serve as a functional platform to broaden participation of underrepresented groups in scientific research. This state-of-the-art liquid-chromatography mass spectrometer will support the research efforts of NSF-funded and other scientists at the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, Washington University, and University of Missouri-St. Louis. The research projects that this instrument will support include: 1) analysis of cellular mediators in signaling complexes and identification of new lipid species to expand lipidomics capabilities; 2) metabolite profiling of xylem sap composition in maize subjected to drought stress; 3) sphingolipid composition and metabolism in plants; 4) nucleotides and inositol phosphates as signaling molecules in stress adaptation and hormone responses; 5) metabolic engineering of secondary metabolism, primarily isoflavone biosynthesis; 6) hormones and chemicals involved in plant and pathogen interactions; 7) phytohormones in Arabidopsis seedling development in response to light; 8) molecular mechanisms underlying the biosynthesis of phytochelatins, a class of heavy metal detoxifying peptides in plants; 9) phytochemicals involved in plant resistance to nematode infection.The Danforth Center hosts undergraduate students during the summer in internship programs sponsored by NSF (REU) and USDA (SIP) and high school teachers through the NSF (RET). The REU program reached greater than 30% participation of under-represented groups in 2004 and 35% in 2005. The Danforth Center and participating Universities are committed to promoting science through high quality research and through public understanding of scientific research. The Center's outreach activities also include various science projects with the St. Louis Science Center and science enrichment opportunities for K-12 students. The Center also has an active international research and training program in which scientists from developing countries who visit the Center to live and work in an environment of cutting edge research. Increased knowledge in this emerging field of plant metabolomics will also lead to the engineering of foods with enhanced nutritional characteristics and health benefits.