Ligand Functions and Ligand-Receptor Interactions Controlling Stomatal Patterning and Differentiation

陆地植物表面的微型气孔对植物的生长和生存至关重要，并影响我们的全球环境。气孔是植物和大气之间的界面。值得注意的是，二氧化碳分子(温室气体)通过气孔进入植物，并固定在糖中，以支持植物生长和生物量生产。此外，通过气孔失去水蒸气的过程被称为蒸腾作用，促进了水分从土壤到植物顶端的运动，以支持它们的生长。在植物发育过程中，气孔是通过一系列有组织的分化事件形成的，细胞之间的信号决定了植物表皮上气孔的密度和分布。最近的研究导致确定了控制气孔模式的候选配体和细胞表面受体。本研究旨在确定候选配体、表皮模式因子1(EPF1)和EPF2的功能和作用，并进一步确定这些蛋白是否与潜在的受体、过多的嘴和ERECTA家族受体激酶有关。拟议研究的成果将促进我们提高重要作物物种的水分利用效率和生物量生产的知识。拟议的项目将为来自不同背景的各级未来科学家提供极好的培训机会，从本科生、初级技术人员到博士后研究员。他们将学习植物生物学、分子遗传学、生物化学和成像技术的广泛知识，以及如何提出生物学中的重要问题。部分研究将进一步纳入本科教学实验课程(生物学导论)，以加强教育。

Microscopic valves on the surface of land plants called stomata are essential for plant growth and survival and impact our global environment. Stomata are an interface between plants and the atmosphere. Notably, carbon-dioxide molecules (greenhouse gas) enter plants through stoma and are fixed into sugars to support plant growth and biomass production. Furthermore, a loss of water vapor through stomata, a process known as transpiration, promotes water movement from soil to the tip of plants to support their growth. During plant development, stomata are formed through a series of orchestrated differentiation events, where signals between cells specify the density and distribution of stomata on the plant epidermis. Recent research led to identification of candidate ligands and cell-surface receptors that govern stomatal patterning. This proposal is aiming at establishing the function and action of candidate ligands, EPIDERMAL PATTERNING FACTOR1 (EPF1) and EPF2, and to further determine whether these proteins associate with potential receptors, TOO MANY MOUTHS and ERECTA-family receptor kinases. Accomplishments of the proposed research will advance our knowledge to improve water-use efficiency and biomass production of important crop plant species. The proposed project will provide excellent training opportunities for future scientists at all levels in diverse backgrounds, from undergraduate, a starting technician and a postdoctoral researcher. They will learn broad knowledge of plant biology, molecular genetics, biochemistry, and imaging techniques and how to propose important questions in biology. A part of the research will further be incorporated into the undergraduate teaching lab course (Introductory Biology) to enhance education.