Functional Analysis of Early-acting Peroxins in Matrix Protein Import

过氧化物酶体是容纳各种过程的细胞隔室。在植物中，过氧化物酶体酶催化许多关键的代谢反应，包括脂肪酸分解，某些光合作用相关的反应，以及几种激素的代谢。过氧化物酶体的一个显著特征是它们能够输入折叠的甚至多聚体的货物蛋白。大多数构建过氧化物酶体（过氧化物）所必需的蛋白质都致力于从细胞质中输入过氧化物酶体酶，蛋白质在细胞质中合成。一个广泛的轮廓已经出现，描述了蛋白质是如何输入到动物，真菌和植物过氧化物酶体。虽然过氧化物酶体生物发生的一些元素似乎是普遍的，其他组件显示令人惊讶的变化。因此，更详细地研究这些进口蛋白以确定它们在植物中的作用至关重要。本项目将通过分析参考植物拟南芥中过氧化物酶体缺陷表型、过氧化物酶体蛋白输入和受体水平的过氧化物酶突变体，阐明植物中过氧化物酶体蛋白输入的分子机制。过氧化物之间的遗传和物理相互作用将提供洞察过氧化物如何一起工作。遗传筛选将提供一种手段，通过利用其他系统中已知的信息，发现植物特有的或在其他系统中尚未发现的过氧化物。研究植物过氧化物酶体蛋白的导入将揭示植物过氧化物酶体功能和组装的关键基因的作用，并将揭示植物、动物和真菌中这一过程的不同和保守方面。除了研究过氧化物酶体功能外，这项研究还将为本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员提供广泛的跨学科培训，涵盖基因组学、分子遗传学、细胞生物学、细胞生物学和细胞生物学等。和生物化学，这将是必不可少的新兴一代的科学家。莱斯大学和PI致力于培训和教育研究生和本科生，同时继续促进来自代表性不足群体的个人参与研究。

Peroxisomes are cellular compartments that house a variety of processes. In plants, peroxisomal enzymes catalyze numerous critical metabolic reactions, including fatty acid breakdown, certain photosynthesis-related reactions, and metabolism of several hormones. A distinguishing and remarkable feature of peroxisomes is their ability to import folded and even multimeric cargo proteins. Most proteins necessary for building peroxisomes (peroxins) are dedicated to importing peroxisomal enzymes from the cytoplasm, where the proteins are synthesized. A broad outline has emerged that describes how proteins are imported into animal, fungal, and plant peroxisomes. Whereas some elements of peroxisome biogenesis appear to be universal, other components display surprising variability. It is therefore critical to examine these import proteins in greater detail to define their roles in plants. This project will elucidate the molecular mechanisms of peroxisome protein import in plants by analyzing peroxin mutants in the reference plant Arabidopsis thaliana for peroxisome defective phenotypes, peroxisomal protein import, and receptor levels. Genetic and physical interactions among the peroxins will provide insight into how the peroxins work together. A genetic screen will provide a means to discover peroxins unique to plants or not yet discovered in other systems by taking advantage of, without being limited by, what is known in other systems. Characterizing plant peroxisomal protein import will reveal the roles of genes critical for the function and assembly of plant peroxisomes, and will reveal the divergent and conserved facets of this process among plants, animals, and fungi.In addition to investigating peroxisome functions, this research will provide undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers with the broad interdisciplinary training bridging genomics, molecular genetics, cell biology, and biochemistry that will be essential to the emerging generation of scientists. Rice University and the PI are committed to training and educating both graduate and undergraduate students while continuing to foster the participation of individuals from underrepresented groups in research.