Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research: A high throughput, quantitative analysis of Arabidopsis pollen tube guidance using a novel microsystem-based assay

主要研究者：Ravishankar Palanivelu Co-PI：Yitshak Zohar和Linan JiangIOS-1045314题目：EAGER-跨学科合作研究：一种基于微系统的拟南芥花粉管引导的高通量定量分析在植物繁殖过程中，来自雌性组织（雌蕊）的信号引导携带精子的花粉管进入卵细胞，实现受精并启动种子发育。对于许多作物的生产至关重要，包括所有谷物和水果，这一信号传导过程仍然知之甚少。该项目将开发用于识别模式植物拟南芥中的花粉管引导信号所必需的下一代微型装置。 现有的花粉管引导生物测定法不够灵敏，无法检测到雌蕊可能产生的微量信号。因此，尽管进行了广泛的研究，但调解这一重要过程的雌蕊信号仍然难以捉摸。微器件已被用于许多生物应用中，可以实现1-1000微米范围内的3D结构，并且可以放大难以检测的生物信号。 因此，微系统技术代表了一种完全不同的方法来复制雌蕊微环境的复杂配置，并忠实地重演雌蕊信号微梯度。 在工程师和生物学家之间的跨学科合作中，该项目将开发有史以来第一个基于微系统的检测方法来识别花粉管引导信号。微器件将被设计和制造成类似于A. thaliana受精，随后用于定义来自雌蕊的向化性信号。 花粉管引导导致植物中成功的受精和种子形成，并且识别引导信号可以有助于提高种子产量和对人类营养至关重要的作物的质量。因此，该项目可能会产生重大的全球影响，因为作物种子提供了近80%的世界主食。此外，该项目可能会刺激自动化微系统的发展，以前所未有的纳米级分辨率研究植物细胞间的信号传导。该项目将促进生物学家和工程师之间的协同互动;本科生将进行一些实验，研究生研究人员将获得跨学科的科学培训。

PI: Ravishankar Palanivelu; Co-PIs: Yitshak Zohar and Linan JiangIOS-1045314Title: EAGER-Interdisciplinary Collaborative Research: A high throughput, quantitative analysis of Arabidopsis pollen tube guidance using a novel microsystem-based assayDuring plant reproduction, signals from female tissues (pistils) guide the sperm-carrying pollen tube to the egg cell to achieve fertilization and initiate seed development. Essential for production of many crops, including all grains and fruits, this signaling process is still poorly understood. This project will develop next-generation microdevices that are necessary for identifying pollen tube guidance signals in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana. Existing pollen tube guidance bioassays are not sensitive enough to detect the signals that are likely produced in minute quantities by pistils. Consequently, despite extensive research, the pistil signals that mediate this essential process remain elusive. Microdevices have been used in numerous biological applications, can realize 3-D structures ranging from 1-1000 micrometers and can amplify hard to detect biological signals. Thus, microsystem technology represents a radically different approach to replicate the complex configuration of the pistil micro-environment and faithfully recapitulate pistil signal micro-gradients. In an interdisciplinary collaboration between engineers and biologists, this project will develop the first ever microsystem-based assay to identify pollen tube guidance signals. Microdevices will be designed and fabricated to resemble the in-planta micro-environment of A. thaliana fertilization and subsequently used to define chemotropic signals from pistils. Pollen tube guidance leads to successful fertilization and seed formation in plants, and identifying the guidance signals may aid in increasing seed yield and quality of crops essential for human nutrition. Consequently, the project could have a major global impact since seeds of crop plants supply nearly 80% of world's staple food. Furthermore, this project may spur development of automated microsystems for investigating plant cell-cell signaling at an unprecedented nano-scale resolution. This project will promote synergistic interactions between biologists and engineers; undergraduate students will carry out some of the experiments, and post graduate researchers will gain interdisciplinary scientific training.