Root-to-shoot Signaling: the bps Signal Interferes with Stem Sell Homeostasis

农业生产力是由植物地上部组织中的光合作用活动驱动的。新梢大小(和生产力)的主要限制来自不利的土壤条件，如干旱、压实和盐碱条件。植物根是一种生物传感器，可以检测到这些不利的条件，并通过一种未知的机制导致枝条系统减缓或停止生长。该项目将测试根到冠的胁迫信号是否与拟南芥bps1突变体产生的移动信号分子相同。旁路(BPS)蛋白的功能是防止合成一种小的代谢物，BPS信号，它从根移动并阻止新梢的生长。主要研究人员假设BPS信号是一种以前未描述的植物激素，初步数据表明，它通过干扰干细胞身份而停止生长。方法包括全面分析BPS信号处理后新梢基因表达的变化，以及揭示BPS信号基因调控机制的分子和遗传学实验。实验还将调查在正常植物中，bps信号是否是对压力的反应。这些实验将使用转基因拟南芥植物，这些植物携带对bps信号做出反应的标记，并将使用代谢组学方法来测量bps信号水平。这些调查对于制定减少因土壤相关压力造成的农业作物损失的战略至关重要。参与这项研究的研究人员还为社区提供教育机会，包括女童子军、K-12学校、囚犯和当地花园俱乐部，并为大学生和高中生开发实验室教材。

Agricultural productivity is driven by photosynthetic activity, which occurs in tissues of plant shoot systems. A major limitation to shoot size (and productivity) arises from adverse soil conditions, such as drought, compaction, and saline conditions. Plant roots are biological sensors that detect these adverse conditions, and by an unknown mechanism, cause the shoot system to slow or arrest growth. This project will test whether the root-to-shoot stress signal is the same mobile signaling molecule that is produced in Arabidopsis bps1 mutants. BYPASS (BPS) proteins function to prevent synthesis of a small metabolite, the bps signal, which moves from the root and arrests shoot growth. The principle investigator hypothesizes that the bps signal is a previously undescribed plant hormone, and preliminary data indicate that it stops growth by interfering with stem cell identity. Approaches include a full analysis of gene expression changes in shoots treated with the bps signal, and molecular and genetic experiments to uncover the mechanism of bps signal gene regulation. Experiments will also investigate whether, in normal plants, the bps signal is produced in response to stress. These experiments will use transgenic Arabidopsis plants that carry markers that respond to the bps signal and will use metabolomic approaches to measure bps signal levels. These investigations are critical for developing strategies to reducing agricultural crop losses due to soil-related stresses. Investigators involved in this research also provide educational opportunities to the community including girl scouts, K-12 schools, prisoners, and local garden clubs, and develop laboratory teaching materials for college and high school students.