Functions of Stromal Chaperones in Chloroplasts of Physcomitrella Patens

智力价值：叶绿体是植物细胞内的细胞器，负责从阳光中含有的能量合成有机分子。这个光合作用过程是地球上所有食物的最终来源。为了使叶绿体发挥功能，它们必须能够从细胞质中吸收其生物合成和动态平衡所需的蛋白质，这需要代谢能量的输入。负责叶绿体蛋白质输入过程中能量输入的分子机制是本研究的主题。具体地说，将在分离和叶绿体本身中研究两种不同的分子伴侣在推动叶绿体蛋白输入方面的协同作用。这种关系的细节的阐明有望为未来选择旨在提高叶绿体生物合成和维持途径的能量利用效率的修饰提供信息。更广泛的影响：在这项研究过程中，一些青年科学家将接受生物科学各学科的培训。这将包括一名高级研究员、一名研究生和许多本科生。这些人的任务是将生物学研究推进到未来几十年，包括设计养活不断增长的世界人口的战略。一些本科生将从加州大学戴维斯分校的生物学本科生学者计划中挑选出来，该计划为经济不景气或代表性不足的种族群体的学生提供服务，从而使我们未来的科学领袖更加多样化。

Intellectual Merit: Chloroplasts are the organelles within plant cells that are responsible for the synthesis of organic molecules from the energy contained in sunlight. This process of photosynthesis is the ultimate source of all food available on the planet. In order for chloroplasts to function they must be able to take up proteins needed for their biosynthesis and homeostasis from the cytoplasm, and this requires the input of metabolic energy. The molecular machinery responsible for the input of energy into the chloroplast protein import process is the subject of this research. Specifically, the synergistic interaction of two different molecular chaperones in powering chloroplast protein import will be examined, both in isolation and in the chloroplast itself. Elucidation of the details of this relationship is expected to inform future choices for modifications designed to improve the energy use efficiency of chloroplast biosynthesis and maintenance pathways. Broader impact: During the course of this research a number of young scientists will be trained in various disciplines of biological sciences. This will include a senior researcher, a graduate student and numerous undergraduates. These are the individuals who will be tasked with carrying forward biological research into the coming decades, including designing strategies for feeding the ever increasing world population. A number of the undergraduates will be drawn from the UC-Davis Biology Undergraduates Scholars Program, which serves students from economically depressed circumstances or underrepresented ethnic groups, thereby leading to greater diversity in our future scientific leaders.