Chloroplast Lipid Composition: Connecting Biophysics to Photosynthetic Function

地球上的生命依赖于植物的光合作用，因此我们必须充分了解光合作用的所有组成系统，以及它们如何对环境参数的变化做出反应。尽管在过去的二十年里进行了大量的研究，但关于光合作用（类囊体）膜的脂质组成如何促进光合作用的知识仍然是初级的。本项目旨在了解类囊体脂的物理特性、脂合成的生化和调控，以及叶绿体生物发生和功能的特殊脂质需求。该项目将使用全面的生化、分子和遗传技术来研究模式植物拟南芥的突变体，其中膜脂成分的不同变化与戏剧性的表型相关。获得的知识将帮助科学家预测环境变化对植物生长和作物生产力可能产生的后果。最终将有可能操纵植物的膜脂组成，以更好地适应特定的环境条件，例如那些可能在全球变暖期间发展的环境条件。由于光合作用是植物生产力的核心，在突变体中观察到的广泛的温度依赖效应对理解植物和农业生产系统的温度响应具有广泛的意义。此外，这项研究将提高对叶绿体结构和光合作用功能的理解，这是修改光合作用以提高植物生产力的重要前提。该项目还将为研究生和本科生提供接受与农业、林业和其他植物生产领域相关的植物生物学研究培训和经验的机会。为了支持开放和合作的科学，本项目开发的突变体种群和其他资源将从已建立的种群中心和主要研究者那里直接免费获得。

Life on Earth depends on plant photosynthesis, so it is vital that we fully understand all the component systems that contribute to photosynthetic function and how these respond to alterations in environmental parameters. Despite considerable research effort over the last twenty years, knowledge of how the lipid composition of the photosynthetic (thylakoid) membrane facilitates photosynthesis remains rudimentary. This project aims to understand the physical characteristics of thylakoid lipids, the biochemistry and regulation of lipid synthesis, and the particular lipid requirements for chloroplast biogenesis and function. The project will use the full range of biochemical, molecular and genetic techniques to investigate mutants of the model plant, Arabidopsis, in which different changes in membrane lipid composition are associated with dramatic phenotypes. The knowledge gained will help scientists predict the likely consequences of environmental changes on plant growth and crop productivity. Eventually it will be possible to manipulate membrane lipid composition of plants to better suit particular environmental conditions, such as those that may develop during global warming. Because photosynthesis is central to plant productivity, the extensive temperature-dependent effects observed in the mutants have wide implications for understanding the temperature responses of plants, and agricultural production systems. Furthermore, the improved understanding of chloroplast structure and photosynthetic function that will result from this research is an important prerequisite to modifying photosynthesis for increased plant productivity. This project will also provide opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to receive training and experience in plant biology research relevant to agriculture, forestry and other fields of plant production. In support of open and cooperative science, the mutant stocks and other resources developed in this project will be freely available from established stock centers and from the principal investigator, directly.