Mitochondrial Cell Death Signaling in S Male-Sterile Maize

在植物和动物中，细胞的受控或程序性死亡是正常发育、疾病和防御反应的核心。尽管细胞程序性死亡很重要，但人们对植物中的这一过程知之甚少。该项目试图确定导致玉米花粉中受基因控制的细胞死亡的分子和细胞事件。一种特殊的基因，母系遗传线粒体基因组的一部分，被怀疑导致与S类型的玉米花粉不育有关的细胞死亡。为了明确确定责任基因，佛罗里达大学的研究人员将利用基因转化将可疑或候选基因的产物引入正常玉米花粉的线粒体。他们预计，转基因花粉的死亡将确定这种花粉不育特征的基因。为了确定线粒体功能问题是否先于花粉细胞死亡，这些研究人员将在S型花粉的线粒体中引入保护性基因产品。在这里，他们预计花粉功能的挽救将证实特定的线粒体事件与植物细胞程序性死亡之间的联系。班尼特女子学院的合作者将利用基因转化将一种高度调控的细胞死亡基因引入植物细胞培养物中，这样就可以在实验室中随意诱导和研究细胞死亡事件。该项目的更广泛的科学影响包括更好地理解和操纵植物改良的细胞死亡途径的新工具和见解。教育影响不仅包括培训佛罗里达大学的本科生、研究生和博士后，还包括建立一个涉及班尼特女子学院本科生的研究项目。班尼特女子学院是历史上仅有的两所为黑人女性提供服务的学院之一。因此，这一项目将建立一项遗产，让代表人数不足的群体的学生参与科学进程。

The regulated, or programmed, death of cells is central to normal development, and to disease and defense response, in both plants and animals. Despite the importance of programmed cell death, little is known about this process in plants. This project seeks to identify the molecular and cellular events leading to genetically controlled cell death in maize pollen. A particular gene, part of the maternally inherited mitochondrial genome, is suspected to cause cell death associated with the S-type of pollen sterility in maize. To unequivocally identify the responsible gene, the University of Florida investigators will use genetic transformation to introduce the products of suspect or candidate genes into the mitochondria of normal maize pollen. They expect that the death of the genetically transformed pollen will identify the gene for this pollen sterility trait. To determine whether problems with mitochondrial function precede pollen cell death, these researchers will introduce protective gene products into the mitochondria of S-type pollen. Here, they expect that the rescue of pollen function will confirm links between specific mitochondrial events and programmed cell death in plants. The Bennett College for Women collaborators will use genetic transformation to introduce a highly regulated form of the cell death gene into plant cell cultures, such that cell death events can be induced and studied at will in the laboratory. The broader scientific impacts of this project include new tools and insights to better understand and manipulate cell death pathways for plant improvement. Educational impacts include not only the training of undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students at the University of Florida, but also the establishment of a research program involving undergraduates at Bennett College for Women. Bennett College for Women is one of only two colleges that historically served black women. This project will therefore establish a legacy, engaging students who are members of underrepresented groups in the scientific process.