Transferring Research from a Model System to Uncover the Network that Regulates Long-Distance Signaling in Potato

PI：大卫汉纳佩尔（爱荷华州州立大学）CoPI：Aragula G.拉奥（爱荷华州州立大学），杰夫科勒（凯斯西储大学），威廉J卢卡斯（加州大学，戴维斯）植物感知外部信号，激活途径，以控制其防御和生长。日光或光周期的长度是调节许多植物开花和马铃薯块茎形成等生长过程的关键信号。马铃薯块茎的形成涉及光激活信号从叶片到地下器官马铃薯块茎的运输。该项目的总体科学目标是研究负责控制块茎形成的信号范围。参与这一过程的信号包括蛋白质和RNA。本项目的两个研究目标是：1）鉴定和表征马铃薯从叶片运输到地下块茎的RNA; 2）鉴定与RNA一起促进这种运输的蛋白质。将采取几种方法来实现这些研究目标，包括系统表征存在于该运输系统中的RNA和蛋白质网络。蛋白质和RNA将被鉴定并测试其在该信号系统中的功能。该项目的主要目标是了解这些信号的收集如何调节块茎的形成。这项研究活动的效用是，这些实验产生的信息将直接应用于提高作物产量。这项研究活动产生的更广泛的科学影响是我们对植物如何利用光信号控制其生长以及对农作物如何影响其产量的理解的增强。该项目的一个重要组成部分是教育和外联特点。教育部分将通过暑期实习计划实施，该计划将为高中和本科生提供参与植物生物学项目的机会。作为外展培训的一个组成部分，还将为高中生物教师提供暑期实习机会。这些教师将与爱荷华州、加州大学戴维斯分校或凯斯西储校区的项目负责人合作，学习更多关于植物生物学的知识。通过针对每年可能教多达100名学生的高中教师，该计划的影响力将大大扩大，并将实现NSF的主要使命;向社会传达当前植物生物学研究成果的重要性。该项目的国际组成部分将扩大通过该倡议提供的培训的广度，并提高全球对该研究所解决的科学挑战的认识。该项目为妇女和代表性不足的群体参与实验室研究提供了充分的机会。项目成果将通过项目网站向科学界公布，可通过http://www.hort.iastate.edu/research/research-detail.php?访问id=1148。

PI: David Hannapel (Iowa State University)CoPIs: Aragula G. Rao (Iowa State University), Jeff Coller (Case Western Reserve University), William J. Lucas (University of California, Davis)Plants perceive outside signals that activate pathways to control their defenses and growth. The length of daylight or photoperiod is a key signal that regulates growth processes like flowering in many plants and tuber formation in potato. Tuber formation in potato involves the transport of a light-activated signal from the leaf to the underground organ, the potato tuber. The overall scientific objective of this project is to study the range of signals that are responsible for controlling tuber formation. Signals involved in this process include both proteins and RNA. Two research goals will be addressed in this project: 1) To identify and characterize RNAs of potato that are transported from the leaf to the underground tuber and 2) To identify proteins that work with the RNAs to facilitate this transport. Several approaches will be undertaken to implement these research goals, including the systematic characterization of the network of RNAs and proteins present in this transport system. Proteins and RNAs will be identified and tested for their function in this signaling system. The primary goal of this project is to understand how this collection of signals regulates tuber formation. The utility of this research activity is that the information generated by these experiments will have direct applications for enhancing crop productivity. The broader scientific impacts resulting from this research activity are inherent in the enhancement of our understanding of how plants use light signals to control their growth and, for agronomic crops, to affect their yield. A significant component of this project is the educational and outreach features. The educational component will be implemented through the Summer Internship program that will provide high school and undergraduate students with the opportunity to participate in plant biology projects. As a component of outreach training, summer internships for high school biology teachers will also be offered. These teachers will work with project leaders on the Iowa State, UC-Davis, or Case Western Reserve campuses to learn more about plant biology. By targeting high school teachers who may teach up to 100 students a year, the influence of this program will be greatly expanded and will fulfill a primary mission of NSF; to communicate to society the significance of the outcomes of current research in plant biology. The international component of this project will expand the breadth of training available through this initiative and enhance global awareness of the scientific challenges addressed in this research. This project includes ample opportunities for participation by women and underrepresented groups in laboratory research. Project outcomes will be made available to the scientific community through a project website, which will be accessible via http://www.hort.iastate.edu/research/research-detail.php?id=1148.