Integrated Studies of Auxin, Light, and Seedling Morphogenesis

生长素、光和幼苗形态的综合研究植物生命周期中的一个关键阶段是种子内的胚胎转化(发育)成能够自我照料的幼苗的那几天。在农业环境中，作物的成功在很大程度上取决于苗木的健壮发展。目前的项目继续进行一系列研究，旨在了解拟南芥植株的生长和发育如何对幼苗在土壤中出苗时的环境条件做出反应。已知隐花色素光受体蛋白负责检测幼苗出苗所处的光环境，植物生长激素生长素被认为是光通过隐花色素触发的过程的关键内部调节因子。该项目将专注于将隐花色素功能与生长素功能联系起来的分子机制。所学到的将加深我们对幼苗如何成为多产植物的理解，并增加我们对支撑人类获得食物、纤维和越来越多的燃料的基本生物学过程的理解。此外，由于该项目中要研究的分子都有人类对应的分子，因此所学到的东西可能会影响癌症和免疫学研究。例如，这里要研究的生长素运输多药耐药分子是导致癌症肿瘤对化疗产生抗药性的mdr1蛋白的植物等价物。植物mdr1与类免疫亲和素分子TWd1结合，发挥其功能。在人类中，免疫亲和素是移植排斥药物的靶标。与人类健康相关的发现的机会是巨大的。为测量生长和发育而开发的计算工具将被用来创建动态的、引人入胜的设备，向各级学生传授苗木对环境的发育反应。一名博士后科学家和一名研究生将接受生物学和计算技术的独特组合培训。

Edgar P. SpaldingIOS-0921071Integrated Studies of Auxin, Light, and Seedling MorphogenesisA critical phase in the life cycle of a plant is the few days during which the embryo within a seed transforms (develops) into a seedling capable of fending for itself. In agricultural settings, much of crop success depends on seedling establishment progressing robustly. The current project continues a line of research aimed at understanding how growth and development in the Arabidopsis thaliana plant is responsive to the environmental conditions pertaining as the seedling emerges through the soil. The cryptochrome photoreceptor protein is known to be responsible for detecting the light environment into which the seedling is emerging, and the plant growth hormone auxin is known to play a role as a key internal regulator of the processes that light triggers through cryptochrome. The project will focus on the molecular mechanisms that link the cryptochrome functions to the auxin functions. What is learned will deepen our understanding of how seedlings become productive plants and increase our understanding of the basic biology underpinning the processes by which humans obtain food, fiber and, increasingly, fuels. Also, because the molecules to be studied in the project all have human counterparts, what is learned could impact cancer and immunology research. For example, the auxin-transporting multidrug resistance molecule to be studied here is the plant equivalent of the MDR1 protein that causes cancer tumors to become resistant to chemotherapy. Plant MDR1 binds to the immunophilin-like molecule TWD1 to perform its function. In humans, immunophilins are the target of transplant rejection drugs. The chance for human-health related discoveries is significant. The computational tools developed to make the measurements of growth and development will be adapted to create dynamic, engaging devices to teach students at all levels about seedling developmental responses to the environment. A postdoctoral scientist and a graduate student will be trained in a unique combination of biological and computational techniques.