Mechanotransduction Networks in Arabidopsis

植物对触摸刺激，如风、雨或动物的擦身而过，做出一系列反应，使它们更坚固，更能抵抗伤害。这项研究旨在发现允许植物触发这些反应的基因。这项研究的结果将有助于确定植物如何抵御环境压力，并在育种或工程上具有潜在的实际应用。这项工作还将涉及培训博士后研究人员、研究生和植物科学本科生。该计划将通过一系列的演讲和实践演示，帮助促进公众对植物研究的理解。尽管它在决定它们的形式和功能方面发挥着关键作用，但植物机械传感和响应的分子机制仍然非常不清楚。此外，机械和防御反应系统之间的已知串扰背后的机制在很大程度上仍然没有特征。细胞质Ca 2+的变化是机械刺激和防御诱导子产生的最早信号。因此，本研究计划旨在确定在这些过程中的钙离子响应钙调素和钙调素样基因家族的作用。生物信息学将首先用于定义钙调素和钙调素样蛋白相关的机械响应网络。然后分析这些网络基因中突变体的基因表达、植物发育、Ca2+动态和病原体敏感性，以测试它们在触摸和病原体响应中的功能作用。这些分析将有助于定义这些网络元素在以下方面的作用：（1）机械信号，（2）机械和防御反应之间的串扰。

Plants respond to touch stimulation such as the wind, rain or the brushing by of animals by switching on a series of responses that make them sturdier and more resistant to damage. This research seeks to discover the genes that allow plants to trigger these responses. Results from this research will help define how plants defend themselves against environmental stresses with potential practical applications in the breeding or engineering of more resistant crops. The work will also involve the training of postdoctoral researchers, graduate students and undergraduate students in plant science. The program will help promote an understanding of plant research to the general public thorough a series of presentations and practical demonstrations.Despite its key role in determining their form and function, the molecular machinery underlying plant mechanical sensing and response remains very poorly defined. In addition, the mechanisms behind the known crosstalk between the mechanical and defense response systems remains largely uncharacterized. Changes in cytoplasmic Ca2+ are known to be some of the earliest signals generated by both mechanical stimuli and defense elicitors. This research program therefore seeks to define the role of the Ca2+-responsive calmodulin and calmodulin-like gene families in these processes. Bioinformatics will first be used to define the calmodulin and calmodulin-like protein-related mechanical response network. Analysis of gene expression, plant development, Ca2+ dynamics and pathogen sensitivity in mutants in these network genes will then be made to test their functional roles in touch and pathogen responses. These analyses will help to define the roles of these network elements in: (1) mechanical signaling and, (2) the crosstalk between mechanical and defense responses.