Arabidopsis 2010 Project Collaborative Research: Modeling Biological Networks in Arabidopsis through Integration of Genomic, Proteomic, and Metabolomic Data

苯丙烷类化合物是一类重要的植物次生代谢产物，对植物的生长和存活至关重要，其功能广泛，从提供花色、保护紫外线、抵御病原体，到调节激素运输。这些代谢物也具有重要的医学价值，因为它们在人类中具有已知的抗氧化和抗癌特性。对负责合成苯丙烷的途径进行了广泛的分子和生物化学表征，再加上对代谢物本身的生理功能的最新见解，使这一系统成为一个理想的系统，通过综合的、多学科的方法将这些分子和生化事件置于生理背景中来解决细胞代谢的基本问题。了解这一途径的调控将为工程合成苯丙烷和其他植物代谢物提供深入的见解，既可以促进植物生长，也可以促进这些重要化合物的生产，以提高作物的营养和营养水平。在这个拟南芥2010项目中，六个研究小组将联合起来进行一项独特的发现工作，涉及建立生物框架模型，将基因表达、蛋白质表达和代谢物产生整合到拟南芥的苯丙烷功能、信号和代谢的全面图谱中。该项目通过收集第一批统一的时间进程基因表达、蛋白质表达和代谢物数据之一来解决2010年项目的优先事项，然后使用新兴的计算方法将这些综合数据集结合在一起，以创建综合生物网络的可测试模型。这个项目结合了建模、理论和实验，以产生对控制苯丙烷生物合成的转录和调节机制的荷尔蒙控制的系统水平的理解。该项目的研究成果将通过出版和建立一个信息丰富的网站(http：//www.henylpropanoid2010.wfu.edu)向公众广泛公布。该项目将对本科生、研究生和博士后研究人员进行跨学科培训。此外，私人投资机构将与地方和国家团体合作，加强科学教育，包括发展K-12学生和教师的经验，并为科学方面代表性不足的群体的个人提供研究机会。

Phenylpropanoids are an important class of plant secondary metabolites that are critical for growth and survival, with functions ranging from providing flower color, protection from ultraviolet light, and defense against pathogens, to the regulation of hormone transport. These metabolites are also of medical importance due to their documented anti-oxidant and anti-cancer properties in humans. Extensive molecular and biochemical characterization of the pathway responsible for the synthesis of phenylpropanoids, combined with recent insights into the physiological functions of the metabolites themselves, make this an ideal system to address fundamental questions about cellular metabolism using an integrative, multidisciplinary approach to place these molecular and biochemical events into a physiological context. Understanding the controls of this pathway will provide insights into engineering the synthesis of phenylpropanoids and other plant metabolites, both for improving plant growth and facilitating the production of these important compounds for the nutritional and dietary enhancement of crops. In this Arabidopsis 2010 project, six research groups will come together in a unique discovery effort, involving the establishment of biological framework models that integrate gene expression, protein expression, and metabolite production into a comprehensive map of phenylpropanoid function, signaling, and metabolism in Arabidopsis thaliana. This project addresses the priorities of the 2010 project by collecting one of the first unified sets of time course gene expression, protein expression, and metabolite data and then use emerging computational methods to combine these comprehensive data sets in order to create testable models of integrated biological networks. This project combines modeling, theory, and experimentation to produce a systems-level understanding of the hormonal controls of the transcriptional and regulatory mechanisms controlling phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Research results from this project will be made widely accessible to the public through publication and through construction of an information-rich website at http:// www.phenylpropanoid2010.wfu.edu. This project will result in interdisciplinary training of undergraduate and graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. In addition, the PIs will partner with local and national groups to enhance science education, including development of K-12 student and teacher experiences and providing research opportunities for individuals from groups underrepresented in science.