Systems Biology Approach to Tomato Fruit Susceptibility to a Necrotrophic Fungus

摘要：Ann L.T. Powell方案编号0544504标题：番茄果实对坏死营养型真菌敏感性的系统生物学方法成熟番茄果实与真菌病原体灰葡萄孢之间的关系将由合作实验室进行研究，这些实验室将联合收割机在植物生物学、生物化学、生物技术、碳水化合物化学和病理学方面的互补专业知识结合起来，从而为有效的综合系统生物学方法提供技能和资源。 B。灰霉病菌是一种重要的植物病原体;它感染植物的所有气生部分，但对水果的侵袭性是众所周知的，引起灰霉病和腐烂，导致美味和成熟的新鲜水果和蔬菜的显著损失。 本研究将调查番茄果实对该真菌的抗性和敏感性。 在成熟过程中，果实经历了一个关键的发育转变，从不成熟的、绿色的、对真菌有抗性或耐受性的果实，到成熟的、红色的、易受真菌损害的果实。核心假设是绿色水果对B的反应是独特的。这种反应可能与红色果实以及植物的叶和茎部分不同，并且这种反应在成熟果实中发生变化，以鼓励真菌分解果实并允许成熟种子的传播。 这项研究的见解将有助于开发生产有吸引力，安全，健康的水果和蔬菜供人类消费的方法。 目的是鉴定（1）B在果实中激活的反应。（2）促进果实腐烂的成熟过程，以及（3）B的功能。受成熟影响的灰色区域。 这项研究将包括博士，硕士和本科生研究人员的培训计划，并将涉及与南非研究人员的合作。 与美国农业重要地区的一个社区科学中心合作，将开发一个交互式显示器，直接向包括小学生在内的公众传达使用农业上重要的转基因植物的研究结果。

ABSTRACTPI: Ann L.T. Powell PROPOSAL # 0544504TITLE: Systems biology approach to tomato fruit susceptibility to a necrotrophic fungusThe association between ripening tomato fruit and the fungal pathogen, Botrytis cinerea, will be studied by collaborating laboratories, which combine complementary expertise in plant biology, biochemistry, biotechnology, carbohydrate chemistry and pathology, and thus provide the skills and resources for an efficient integrative systems biology approach. B. cinerea is an important plant pathogen; it infects all the aerial parts of plants but is notoriously aggressive on fruit, causing grey mold and rotting that lead to significant losses of palatable and ripe fresh fruit and vegetables. The research will investigate the resistance and susceptibility of tomato fruit to the fungus. During ripening, fruit undergo a crucial developmental transition from being unripe, green, and resistant to or tolerant of the fungus, to being ripe, red, and susceptible to damage by the fungus. The central hypothesis is that green fruit respond uniquely to B. cinerea, perhaps differently from red fruit and from the leaf and stem parts of the plant, and that this response changes in ripe fruit to encourage the fungus to break down the fruit and permit dispersal of mature seeds. Insights from this research will contribute to the development of methods for producing attractive, safe, healthy fruit and vegetables for human consumption. The objectives are to identify (1) responses activated in fruit by B. cinerea, (2) ripening processes that facilitate rotting of fruit by the fungus, and (3) functions of B. cinerea that are influenced by ripening. This research will include training programs for PhD, Masters and undergraduate student researchers and will involve collaboration with researchers in South Africa. In cooperation with a community science center in an important region of US agriculture, an interactive display will be developed to communicate directly to the public, including elementary school students, results of the research using agriculturally significant transgenic plants.