Division plane orientation in plant cells.

这项研究通过发展重要作物玉米和其他植物的关键知识来了解细胞分裂及其在发育中的作用，从而改善公众福祉。细胞分裂的一个关键方面是分裂平面或分裂发生的轴的方向。细胞何时以及在何处定位分割平面对工厂的整体组织有重大影响。虽然在植物和动物发育过程中调控分裂平面方向的重要性是众所周知的，但控制这一过程的机制还不清楚。了解植物如何调节分裂平面的方向将使利用植物发育的这一特征来改良下一代作物成为可能。 更广泛的影响活动将包括提供一个研究经验，以新生沿着研究机会，以代表性不足的少数民族学生。正确的分裂面方向，或细胞分裂轴的建立，对许多生物体的发育和生长至关重要。这项研究将确定在单子叶作物玉米中负责控制分裂平面方向的蛋白质的生物化学和体内功能。实验方法包括单分子蛋白质和微管动力学，活细胞成像，结构与功能分析，数学建模，以及反向和正向遗传学。这项研究的预期成果是了解分裂平面方向所必需的蛋白质如何改变微管结合和动力学，识别对该蛋白质功能至关重要的氨基酸，以及量化细胞形状和局部和全局相互作用对分裂平面方向的相对贡献。最后，新的蛋白质将被确定，促进适当的分裂平面的方向。了解植物如何放置它们的分裂平面可以提供对控制分裂取向以增加有价值的作物植物产品的产量的洞察。

This research improves the public well-being through development of critical knowledge using the important crop maize and other plants to understand cell division and its role in development. A critical aspect of cell division is the orientation of the division plane or the axis at which division occurs. When and where the cell positions the division plane has significant impact on the overall organization of the plant. Although the importance of regulated division plane orientation during plant and animal development is well known, the mechanisms that controls this process are not well understood. Understanding how plants regulate division plane orientation will make it possible to harness this feature of plant development for next generation crop improvement. Broader Impact activities will include providing a research experience to freshman students along with research opportunities to underrepresented minority students. Correct division plane orientation, or the establishment of the axis on which a cell divides, is critical for development and growth in many organisms. This research will determine the biochemical and in vivo function of proteins responsible for controlling division plane orientation in the monocot crop maize. The experimental approaches include single-molecule protein and microtubule dynamics, live cell imaging, structure versus function analysis, mathematical modeling, and reverse and forward genetics. The expected outcome of this research is an understanding as to how a protein essential for division plane orientation alters microtubule binding and dynamics, identification of amino acids critical for this protein's function, as well as quantification of the relative contributions of cell shape and local and global interactions to division plane orientation. Finally, new proteins will be identified that promote the proper division plane orientation. Understanding how plants place their division planes may provide insight into controlling division orientation to increase yield of valuable crop plant products.