The secret life of DGPP: Physicochemical Properties and Function of an enigmatic Signaling Lipid

在世界范围内，农作物受到缺水和土壤盐分的影响，这会导致产量损失和作物质量下降。到目前为止，通过常规方法培育耐旱作物一直是困难的。因此，需要以提高作物耐受性为目标的新方法。这项工作将针对植物细胞生物膜的一种特定成分。生物膜对生命至关重要，因为它们形成了一道屏障，保护细胞免受环境的影响。由于植物无法移动以找到更有利的位置，这种保护功能对生存至关重要。因此，植物进化出了复杂的方法来应对环境胁迫，如病原体攻击、干旱和盐分胁迫。这种对压力的反应的一个关键组成部分是植物产生一种名为DGPP的膜分子。这项工作的目标是通过不同的生物物理和生化方法来揭示这种分子的功能。研究生和本科生将与植物胁迫领域的国际领导者合作。这项工作有望在植物抗旱过程中产生新的见解，并可能导致作物在具有挑战性的环境中生长的新方法。通过这一奖项，肯特州立大学的生命过程化学计划资助肯特州立大学的Edgar E.Kooijman博士，通过对二酰基甘油焦磷酸(DGPP)的物理化学性质和蛋白质-脂肪相互作用的表征，揭示DGPP在植物逆境反应中的作用。DGPP在复合模型膜中的电离特性和DGPP对膜曲率的调节将通过各种生物物理方法来确定，包括但不限于固体核磁共振光谱、X射线衍射和差示扫描量热法。利用DGPP功能化小球的亲和层析将表征新型蛋白质结合伙伴，通过脂质体结合、表面等离子体共振和等温滴定量热法表征蛋白质-脂质相互作用。将探索蛋白质伴侣与脂质结合的功能。这项工作有望在干旱胁迫耐受性方面产生新的见解，包括信号蛋白的功能。因此，该项目有望提供一套新的工具。

Worldwide, crops are affected by water scarcity and salinity of the soil which results in a loss of yield and a reduction in the quality of the crops produced. Up unto now it has been difficult to breed crops that are tolerant to drought via conventional methods. New methods to target increased crop tolerance are thus needed. This work will target a specific component of the biological membrane of plant cells. Biological membranes are crucial for life as they form a barrier to protect cells from the environment. Since plants are unable to move in order to find a more favorable location, this protective function is critical for survival. Plants have thus evolved intricate ways to cope with environmental stress, such as pathogen attack, drought, and salt stress. A key component of this response to stress is that plants make a membrane molecule called DGPP. The goal of this work is to unravel the function of this molecule through diverse biophysical and biochemical approaches. Graduate and undergraduate students will work together with international leaders in the field of plant stress. This work is expected to yield novel insights in the process of drought tolerance in plants and may lead to novel ways in which crops can be grown in challenging environments. With this award, the Chemistry of Life Processes Program in the Chemistry Division is funding Dr. Edgar E. Kooijman from Kent State University to unravel the function of diacylglycerolpyrophosphate (DGPP) in the stress response of plants via the characterization of the physicochemical properties and protein-lipid interactions of DGPP. Ionization properties of DGPP in complex model membranes and modulation of membrane curvature by DGPP will be determined by diverse biophysical methods including, but not limited to solid state NMR spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, and differential scanning calorimetry. Novel protein binding partners will be characterized via affinity chromatography using DGPP functionalized beads, and protein-lipid interaction will be characterized via liposome binding, surface plasmon resonance and isothermal titration calorimetry. The function of lipid binding by protein partners will be explored. This work is expected to yield novel insights in drought stress tolerance, including the function of signaling proteins. As such, this project holds a promise for a new set of tools.