Characterization of Mobile RNAs in a Host-Parasite Interaction

该寄生植物具有显著的与寄主植物沟通的能力。在寄生期间，它形成一种称为吸器的结构，该结构穿透宿主，建立血管连接，并作为从宿主获得水分和营养的管道。这一点更加令人震惊，因为最近的研究表明，特定的信使RNA(MRNAs)可以从宿主进入冬虫夏草。该项目将以番茄和拟南芥为模式寄主物种，研究寄主-鸵鸟系统中的信使核糖核酸。新的可移动的mRNAs将通过对葫芦巴和吸器附近寄主组织的mRNAs进行测序来识别，这些mRNAs将使用荧光标记和探针来表征它们的细胞定位和命运。这些实验将为深入了解移动的mRNA运动是如何调控的，以及跨物种的mRNAs运动是否具有将信息从一种植物传递到另一种植物的功能。由于移动的mRNAs与植物生长和发育的调控有关，该项目将有助于提高植物生产力所需的基础知识。该项目将在几个层面上培养学生，包括研究生、本科生和高中。对于后者，一名高中教师将在该项目上进行合作，以开发可用于学生项目的研究的一个方面。这些学生将通过参与一个开放式项目获得有价值的研究视角，这个项目的结果是未知的，并且有可能为更大的项目做出真正的贡献。

The parasitic plant dodder has a remarkable ability to communicate with its host plants. During parasitism it develops a structure called a haustorium, which penetrates the host, establishes vascular connections, and serves as a conduit for obtaining water and nutrients from the host. This is all the more striking because recent research has demonstrated the movement of specific messenger RNAs (mRNAs) from the host into dodder. The project will investigate mRNA trafficking in the host-dodder system, focusing on tomato and Arabidopsis as model host species. New mobile mRNAs will be identified by sequencing mRNAs from dodder and host tissues adjacent to the haustorium, and these mRNAs will be characterized with respect to their cellular localization and fate using fluorescent tags and probes. These experiments will provide insight into how mobile mRNA movement is regulated and whether cross-species movement of mRNAs function to convey information from one plant to another. Because mobile mRNAs have been implicated in the regulation of plant growth and development, this project will contribute to the fundamental knowledge needed to improve plant productivity. The project will foster student training at several levels, including graduate, undergraduate, and high school. For the latter, a high school teacher will collaborate on the project to develop an aspect of the research that can be used for student project. These students will gain a valuable perspective on research by participating in an open-ended project, one whose outcome is not known and that holds potential for making a genuine contribution to the larger project.