NPGI: NSF Postdoctoral Fellowship in Biology FY 2013

该行动为2013财年的NSF国家植物基因组计划生物学博士后研究奖学金提供资金。该研究金支持研究员在东道实验室的研究和培训计划，研究员还提出了扩大生物学参与的计划。本奖学金的研究和培训计划的标题由罗伯特·L·贝克是“解剖学，作物特定资源分配策略和水利用效率之间的基因组关联。“该奖学金的主办机构是怀俄明州大学，赞助科学家是辛西娅·维尼和布伦特·埃尔斯博士。气孔导度、水力导度和资源分配到根、茎和叶是水分利用效率（WUE）的组成部分，而WUE是作物产量的关键决定因素。了解提高WUE的解剖学和生理学变化的遗传基础具有全球意义，因为人口增长对可用水的压力越来越大。历史上，芸苔属（B.）芜菁种植（欧洲，印度和亚洲），每种包括两种或多种作物类型：花椰菜，萝卜，卷心菜和种子油。B。芜菁是一个很好的模型，解剖学WUE模式，因为不同的器官有针对性的收获作物类型，表现出特定器官的水分利用和分配的特点差异。 本研究调查了不同品种B的叶、茎和根解剖结构、资源分配和气体交换的遗传结构。拉帕。该研究包括通过薄切片收集解剖数据，量化全植物资源分配，并通过下一代测序开发单核苷酸多态性标记。将测试作物类型之间的遗传距离与根、茎和叶结构的表型矩阵的相关性，以阐明导致作物类型之间光合作用和传导性差异的解剖特征。全基因组关联研究将被用来对影响感兴趣的解剖表型的特定基因组区域进行编目。培训目标包括基因组学、生物信息学和统计遗传学。更广泛的影响包括为本科生开发和实施组织学技术的持久培训平台。与研究生和本科生一对一的工作将提供教学和培训机会，同时完成拟议的研究。

This action funds an NSF National Plant Genome Initiative Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Biology for FY 2013. The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow who also presents a plan to broaden participation in biology. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Robert L. Baker is "Genome wide Associations between Anatomy, Crop-specific Resource Allocation Strategies, and Water Use Efficiency." The host institution for the fellowship is the University of Wyoming and the sponsoring scientists are Drs. Cynthia Weinig and Brent Ewers.Stomatal conductance, hydraulic conductance, and resource partitioning to roots, stems, and leaves are components of water-use efficiency (WUE), a critical determinant of crop yield. Understanding the genetic basis of anatomical and physiological changes that improve WUE is relevant globally as human population growth places increasing pressure on available water. Historically, there are three geographic centers of Brassica (B.) rapa cultivation (Europe, India, and Asia), each including two or more crop types: brocolettos, turnips, cabbages, and seed oils. B. rapa is an excellent model to link anatomy to WUE patterns because different organs are targeted for harvest among crop types, which exhibit characteristic differences in organ-specific water use and allocation. This research investigates the genetic architecture of leaf, stem, and root anatomy, resource allocation, and gas exchange in diverse cultivars of B. rapa. The research includes collecting anatomical data through thin sections, quantifying whole-plant resource allocation, and developing single nucleotide polymorphism markers through next-generation sequencing. Genetic distances among crop types will be tested for correlations with phenotypic matrices of root, stem, and leaf structure to elucidate the anatomical features that contribute to differences in photosynthesis and conductance among crop types. Genome wide association studies will be used to catalogue specific genomic regions affecting anatomical phenotypes of interest.Training objectives include genomics, bioinformatics, and statistical genetics. Broader impacts include developing and implementing a durable training platform in histological techniques for undergraduates. One-on-one work with graduate and undergraduate students will provide for teaching and training opportunities while completing the proposed research.