CAREER: Orchestrating transcriptional reprogramming by combinatorial complexity of general transcriptional regulation and specific immune responses

对进化上保守的微生物组分的感知激发了强大的植物免疫应答，包括针对病原体攻击的快速和深刻的转录重编程。植物免疫背后的信号网络在很大程度上仍然难以捉摸。我们已经开发了一个敏感的遗传筛选的基础上的病原体信号感知的早期转录变化。该高通量筛选基于拟南芥转基因植物，其携带与荧光素酶（LUC）报告基因融合的早期和特异性免疫应答标记基因FRK 1启动子。从EMS诱变的群体中鉴定出一系列具有改变的pFRK 1：：LUC活性的突变体，并将其命名为拟南芥免疫基因表达调控基因（aggie）。这些aggie突变体表现出不同的模式改变的免疫反应，表明突变可能发生在不同的基因/途径在植物免疫信号。这些Aggie基因的分子克隆和生物化学表征具有重要的前景，揭示植物免疫信号转导的新组分，并揭示特定免疫应答基因表达受一般转录机制调控的机制。该项目将阐明植物免疫背后的信号网络，并为操纵具有广谱和持久抗性的作物提供丰富的遗传资源。我们的aggie-luc筛选是专门为本科生量身定制的，并将为研究生和博士后研究人员提供培训。该项目包括以绿色免疫学为中心的创新和全面的教育和推广计划，为高中和本科生，特别是德克萨斯州格兰德河山谷代表性不足的少数民族学生举办研讨会，讲座和尖端研究经验。

Perception of evolutionarily conserved microbial components elicits robust plant immune responses, including rapid and profound transcriptional reprogramming against pathogen attack. The signaling networks underlying plant immunity remain largely elusive. We have developed a sensitive genetic screen based on the early transcriptional changes upon pathogen signal perception. This high-throughput screen was grounded in Arabidopsis transgenic plants carrying an early and specific immune responsive marker gene FRK1 promoter fused with a luciferase (LUC) reporter. A series of mutants with altered pFRK1::LUC activity were identified from an EMS-mutagenized population and named as Arabidopsis genes governing immune gene expression (aggie). These aggie mutants exhibited distinct patterns of altered immune responses, suggesting that the mutations likely occur at different genes/pathways in plant immune signaling. Molecular cloning and biochemical characterization of these Aggie genes hold significant promise to reveal novel components in plant immune signaling and uncover mechanisms by which specific immune responsive gene expression is regulated by the general transcriptional machinery. The project will elucidate the signaling networks underlying plant immunity and provide enriched genetic resources for manipulation of crops with broad-spectrum and durable resistance. Our aggie-luc screen was specifically tailored for undergraduate students, and will provide training for graduate and postdoctoral researchers. The project includes an innovative and comprehensive education and outreach program centering on Green Immunology with seminars, lectures and cutting-edge research experiences for high school and undergraduate students, particularly underrepresented minority students in the Texas Rio Grande Valley.