Significance of Apyrase Activity for Plant Growth and Development

这个项目的主要目标是更多地了解被称为apyrase的酶的活性如何在植物生长和发育中发挥其戏剧性的影响。APYrase从核苷三磷酸(如三磷酸腺苷)和核苷二磷酸中去除末端磷酸。最近的两个发现揭示了它们在控制植物生长方面的关键作用：不能产生两个密切相关的APYrase的植物是矮小的，并且APY1和APY2在快速生长的组织中表达最高。为了更好地理解这些发现的含义，该项目建议使用遗传学、生化和细胞生物学的方法来研究它们背后的分子基础。APY1和APY2在细胞核和细胞外周均有功能。在后一位置，它们可以降低细胞外ATP的浓度。虽然几乎所有的三磷酸腺苷都是在细胞内制造的，但其中一些会转移到细胞外，在那里它可以作为一种激素样物质来影响许多细胞活动。这个项目测试了apyrase调节胞外和细胞核内ATP浓度的能力与其调节植物生长的能力之间的关系。更多地了解apyrase在生长过程中出人意料的作用，将极大地扩大和深化对调控植物生长因素的了解，从而有助于开发新的战略，以提高作物产量和植物生物量作为生物燃料。P.I.和CoP.I.在指导高中生和本科生进行原创研究项目方面有着良好的记录，现在两人都在校园内的一个新的新生研究倡议项目中担任主要导师，该项目的目标是在第一年向大量新生介绍研究挑战和喜悦研究。这项活动与NSF通过正式项目促进研究和教育一体化的目标是一致的，并可能成为其他大学其他类似努力的示范项目。

The main objective of this project is to learn more about how the activity of enzymes called apyrases exert their dramatic effects on plant growth and development. Apyrases remove the terminal phosphate from nucleoside triphosphates (e.g., ATP) and nucleoside diphosphates. Their key role in controlling the growth of plants is revealed by two recent discoveries: plants that cannot make two closely related apyrases, APY1 and APY2, are dwarf, and the highest expression of APY1 and APY2 is in tissues that are rapidly growing. To better understand the implications of these findings, this project proposes to investigate the molecular bases underlying them, using genetic, biochemical and cell biological approaches. APY1 and APY2 function both in cell nuclei and in the cell periphery. In the latter location they can reduce the concentration of extracellular ATP. Although virtually all ATP is made inside of cells, some of it moves to the outside of cells where it can serve as a hormone-like substance that can influence many cellular activities. This project tests how the ability of apyrases to regulate the concentration of extracellular and nuclear ATP relates to its ability to regulate plant growth. Learning more about the unexpected role of apyrases in growth processes will significantly expand and deepen knowledge about factors that regulate plant growth, and thus help develop new strategies for increasing crop yields and plant biomass for biofuels. The P.I. and co P.I. have a strong record of mentoring high school and undergraduate students in original research projects, and both are now serving as principle instructors in a new Freshman Research Initiative project on campus, which has the goal of introducing large numbers of entering students to the challenge and joy of research during their first year. This activity is in accord with NSF's goal to foster integration of research and education through formal programs, and may serve as a model program for other such efforts in other Universities.