IOS EDGE: Generating Transgenic Cuscuta as a Tool for Studying Plant Interactions

Quscuta(俗称茯丝子)是一种寄生植物，具有不寻常的生长习性。作为一种寄生虫，它与至少一种其他植物生活在一起，它所有的水分和营养需求都是从这些植物中获得的，而不会向宿主提供任何回报。葫芦巴从其他植物中获取食物，因此它不需要根、叶或光合作用，看起来像一个黄色藤茎网络，缠绕在寄主植物周围。葫芦巴为理解植物科学提供了一个新的视角，因为它向寄生的进化导致了夸大的特征，推动了植物能力的界限。例如，葫芦幼苗可以识别寄主位置并向它们生长，展示了检测和响应环境中其他植物的能力。此外，葫芦科植物以其他植物为食的能力创造了一个系统，在这个系统中，可以探索植物在细胞水平上的相互作用，并形成植物疾病的概念。最后，葫芦与宿主交换RNA和蛋白质的习惯挑战了我们对单个生物体遗传调控的理解。这一EDGE项目旨在通过开发植物转化方法对基因功能进行遗传测试，扩大葫芦科植物作为研究模式系统的使用，并为其他科学家提供栽培葫芦科植物的技术和提示。葫芦科研究界的发展将促进基础植物科学的进步，对抗病、农业生态和杂草控制具有潜在影响。阻碍葫芦科植物作为模式植物系统使用的主要障碍是缺乏能够进行基因功能研究的植物转化和再生协议。本项目的主要目标是培育转基因葫芦科植物。以前的一些研究已经建立了葫芦愈伤组织转化或愈伤组织再生的条件，但从来没有两者都具有相同的组织。本项目致力于系统地优化葫芦科植物的培养条件、转化和再生，以产生稳定转化的寄生植物。这将包括评估几种葫芦科植物对转化的适应性，以及测试农杆菌菌株对葫芦科植物转化的效率。还将测试旨在不经过组织培养步骤(即浸花)即可快速转化葫芦科植物的其他方法。所有协议和资源将通过项目网站和出版物向更广泛的工厂社区提供。鼓励有兴趣获得本项目中使用或产生的种质的各方首先与美国农业部-APHIS联系，了解如何获得使用这些物种的许可。

Cuscuta (commonly known as dodder) is a parasitic plant with an unusual growth habit. As a parasite it lives in association with at least one other plant, from which it derives all its water and nutritional needs, while providing nothing to its host in return. Cuscuta obtains its food from other plants, so it has no need for roots, leaves or photosynthesis, and appears as a network of yellow vining stems that wind around host plants. Cuscuta provides a fresh perspective for understanding plant science because its evolution to parasitism has resulted in exaggerated features that push the boundaries of plants capabilities. For example, Cuscuta seedlings can identify host locations and grow toward them, demonstrating an ability to detect and respond to other plants in their environment. Also, the ability of Cuscuta to feed off other plants creates a system in which to explore plant interactions at the cell level and to shape concepts of plant disease. Finally, the Cuscuta habit of exchanging RNA and proteins with hosts challenges our understanding of genetic regulation of individual organisms. This EDGE project aims to expand the use of Cuscuta as a research model system through development of plant transformation methods to genetically test gene function, and to provide techniques and tips on growing Cuscuta to other scientists. Growing the Cuscuta research community will promote progress in basic plant science with potential impacts in disease resistance, agricultural ecology and weed control.The major barrier preventing the use of Cuscuta as a model plant system is the lack of a protocol for transformation and regeneration of the plant that would enable studies of gene function. The primary objective of this project is to develop transgenic Cuscuta. A few previous studies have established conditions for either Cuscuta callus transformation or regeneration from callus, but never both with the same tissue. This project focuses on systematically optimizing Cuscuta culture conditions, transformation, and regeneration to produce stably transformed parasitic plants. This will include evaluation of several Cuscuta species for amenability to transformation, along with testing Agrobacterium strains for efficiency of Cuscuta transformation. Additional approaches that aim for rapid transformation of Cuscuta without a tissue culture step (i.e., floral dip) will be tested as well. All protocols and resources will be made accessible to the broader plant community through a project website and through publications. Parties interested in obtaining germplasm used or generated in this project are encouraged to first contact USDA-APHIS regarding how to obtain permission to work with these species.