Regulation of Reproductive Development by LEAFY

植物特异性转录因子LEAFY（LFY）是植物从营养发育向生殖发育转变的主要调节因子。它在生殖结构（花）的图案中发挥第二个作用。尽管它在生物体中起着中心作用，但对这种转录因子启动的直接事件却知之甚少。将采取两种一般办法来解决这个问题。一个是直接LFY目标的生物学作用的遗传分析，研究人员以前使用表达阵列确定。 这项研究将揭示连接LFY下游网络已知组件的监管逻辑。第二种方法将使用敏感的基因组LFY结合研究，以确定在切换到生殖发育和花图案的LFY缺失的目标。 除了推进我们对LFY在这两个过程中启动的事件的理解外，这种方法还将非常精确地定义这个主转录因子的结合基序，从而可能揭示LFY的新作用。最后，通过比较LFY结合和活动在两个发展阶段（在切换到繁殖和花图案），本研究将提供第一个证据，LFY活动是如何在发展过程中进行调节。从这些实验得出的结论将提供急需的洞察到一个基本的发展开关和关键的模式化事件在拟南芥。 基于LFY的保守作用，这些发现也可能有助于了解其他开花植物的繁殖开始。这些知识对于农业、植物育种和生物燃料生产具有潜在的重要性。此外，该项目的一个重要方面是辅导和培训学生，并与当地学校联系。

The plant specific transcription factor LEAFY (LFY) is a master regulator of the vital switch from vegetative to reproductive development. It has a second role in patterning of the reproductive structures, the flowers. Despite its central role in the organism, the direct events set in motion by this transcription factor are as yet poorly understood. Two general approaches will be taken to address this problem. One is a genetic analysis of the biological role of direct LFY targets the investigators previously identified using expression arrays. This study will reveal the regulatory logic connecting known components of the network downstream of LFY. The second approach will use sensitive genomic LFY binding studies to identify missing targets of LFY during the switch to reproductive development and in flower patterning. In addition to advancing our understanding of the events set in motion by LFY in these two processes, this approach will define the binding motif of this master transcription factor with great precision and thus may reveal new roles of LFY. Finally, by comparing LFY binding and activity at two developmental stages (during the switch to reproduction and during flower patterning), this study will provide first evidence as to how LFY activity is regulated during development. Conclusions derived from these experiments will provide much needed insight into a fundamental developmental switch and key patterning events in Arabidopsis. Based on the conserved role of LFY, these findings will likely also contribute to understanding of the onset of reproduction in other flowering plants. This knowledge is of high potential importance for agriculture, plant breeding, and biofuel production. In addition, an important aspect of this project is mentoring and training of students as well as outreach to local schools.