International Research Fellowship Program: Gamete Interactions During Double Fertilization of Flowering Plants

0754305Quy国际研究奖学金计划使美国科学家和工程师能够在国外进行9到24个月的研究。 该计划的奖项提供了联合研究的机会，以及使用独特或互补的设施，专业知识和国外的实验条件。Ngo与瑞士苏黎世大学的Ueli Grossniklaus博士合作。这项研究的长期目标是了解植物配子如何在细胞、分子和生理水平上相互作用以实现双受精。在受精过程中，雄性配子（两个精子细胞）和雌性配子（卵细胞和中央细胞）都需要在长距离和短距离上相互识别。以拟南芥为模型系统，PI将结合联合收割机细胞学、分子学和遗传学方法来检验配子相互作用依赖于分子识别和信号事件的假设，从而使缺陷配子改变其野生型伴侣的生殖行为。除了提供对双受精过程中这些基本植物发育过程的机理见解外，这项研究还将作为后续研究的跳板，以推进该领域的发展。由于植物繁殖的产品对粮食和饲料的生产贡献很大，因此更好地了解植物繁殖和创新应用这一知识对改善农作物具有重大潜力。

0754305QuyThe International Research Fellowship Program enables U.S. scientists and engineers to conduct nine to twenty-four months of research abroad. The program's awards provide opportunities for joint research, and the use of unique or complementary facilities, expertise and experimental conditions abroad.This award will support a twenty-four month research fellowship by Dr. Quy A. Ngo to work with Dr. Ueli Grossniklaus at the University of Zurich in Switzerland.The long-term goal of this proposed research is to understand how plant gametes interact at the cellular, molecular, and physiological levels to effect double fertilization. During the course of fertilization, both male gametes (two sperm cells) and female gametes (egg cell and central cell) need to recognize each other as partners at long and short distance. Using Arabidopsis thaliana as a model system, the PI will combine cytological, molecular, and genetic approaches to test the hypothesis that gamete interactions rely on molecular recognition and signaling events such that a defective gamete alters the reproductive behavior of its wild-type partner. In addition to providing the mechanistic insights into these fundamental plant developmental processes during double fertilization, this study will also serve as springboards for subsequent investigations to advance the field. Since the products of plant reproduction contribute a major part to the production of food and feed, a better understanding of plant reproduction and innovative applications of this knowledge have a significant potential for improving agricultural crops.