Sucrose / H+ symporters in plants for targeted biomass partitioning

蔗糖/ H+共转运蛋白在植物中用于靶向生物质分配在上个世纪，植物生产力显著提高，部分原因是育种实践将资源转移到收获的器官。 蔗糖（Suc）通过光合作用在叶片中产生，并被运输到正在生长或积累储存储备的组织中。 因此，了解Suc运输对了解生长和产量至关重要。 Suc可以通过称为胞间连丝的专门通道被动地从细胞移动到细胞，或者可以通过Suc/质子（H+）同向转运体酶跨质膜积累。 因此，Suc/H+共转运蛋白是碳水化合物分布和协调不同器官成为一个整体的基础。 Suc/H+共转运体形成了一个小的基因家族，但大多数成员的生理功能尚不清楚。 更好地了解它们的功能将有助于澄清它们各自在全植物营养分配中的作用，并将使它们能够操纵以将生物量定向到收获的器官。 该项目将1）通过评估其补充确定的Suc转运缺陷突变体的能力来确定代表性共转运蛋白在整个植物中跨膜移动Suc的能力，以及2）确定异位表达的共转运蛋白将碳水化合物和生物量靶向特定组织以提高植物生产力的潜力。 更广泛的影响：通过建立在以前的支持优势，该项目将有效地促进我们对营养分配的理解与整个植物生理学，并提供变革性的战略，以提高生产力;提供跨学科的培训高中，本科，研究生和博士后学者来自不同背景;并通过与UNT FOCUS奖学金计划的组织者协调，（在本科科学中培养优秀的同龄人，NSF计划07-524，科学，技术，工程和数学奖学金[S-STEM]，项目#0807128），通过培养科学专业的学生和促进与科学导师的互动来促进成功。

Sucrose / H+ symporters in plants for targeted biomass partitioningPlant productivity has increased dramatically over the last century due in part to breeding practices that divert resources to harvested organs. Sucrose (Suc) is produced in leaves by photosynthesis and is transported to tissues that are growing or accumulating storage reserves. Understanding Suc transport is thus essential to understanding growth and yield. Suc may move passively from cell to cell through specialized channels called plasmodesmata or may be accumulated across plasma membranes by Suc/proton (H+) symporter enzymes. Suc/H+ symporters are therefore fundamental to carbohydrate distribution and to coordinating disparate organs into a whole entity. Suc/H+ symporters form a small gene family, but the physiological functions of most members is poorly resolved. A better understanding of their function would help clarify their respective roles in whole-plant nutrient partitioning, and would enable their manipulation to target biomass to harvested organs. This project will 1) establish the capacity of representative symporters for moving Suc across membranes in whole plants by assessing their ability to complement a defined Suc-transport-defective mutant, and 2) establish the potential of ectopically expressed symporters to target carbohydrate and biomass to specific tissues to enhance plant productivity. Broader Impacts: By building on strengths established during prior support, this project will efficiently contribute to our understanding of nutrient partitioning in relation to whole-plant physiology and provide transformative strategies to increase productivity; provide interdisciplinary training for high-school, undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral scholars from diverse backgrounds; and engage students from at-risk groups by coordinating with organizers of the UNT FOCUS scholarship program (Fostering Outstanding Cohorts in Undergraduate Science, NSF program 07-524, Scholarships in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics [S-STEM], Project #0807128), which promotes success by fostering cohorts of science majors and promoting interaction with science mentors.