Perinuclear Positioning of Active Genes in Arabidopsis

细胞核提供了一个亚细胞室来储存遗传信息，DNA，更重要的是，能够精确地调节单个基因对发育和环境刺激的反应。在酵母和动物中的研究积累的证据表明，核通过在空间上将活跃和不活跃的基因分离到不同的亚核区域来控制基因的活性。特别是，核膜被分为两个区域，核孔和非孔区，分别用于容纳活性和非活性基因。然而，植物含有与酵母和动物显著不同的核膜成分；因此，核周基因定位是否以及如何影响植物中的基因活性尚不清楚。这些实验旨在揭示核周基因定位在植物基因激活中的意义和机制，并建立一种显示单个基因的活细胞成像技术。该项目的成果有望对真核生物空间基因组组织和基因调控的植物特有和一般原理产生新的见解，并建立一种使能技术，促进对植物中单个基因的空间组织的研究。此外，该项目将培训下一代科学家，包括未被充分代表的少数族裔学生，在批判性思维、实验设计和执行以及科学交流方面。这一合作项目旨在以拟南芥为模型，了解核周基因定位在植物基因激活中的意义和机制。PI率先发现了光诱导基因激活时的核周定位。根据前人的研究，PI将利用细胞生物学和遗传学的方法来确定核膜在发育和环境控制基因激活中的功能，并阐明基因募集到植物核外周的机制。此外，PI计划建立一种基于CRISPR的成像技术，用于标记活植物细胞中的单拷贝基因。综上所述，这种综合的方法有望为深入了解植物核膜在基因调控中的功能提供见解，并为研究植物王国中的基因定位建立一个遗传上易于处理的实验模型。研究小组将通过出版物和会议演讲来传播科学发现和新的赋能技术，以促进植物基因定位的研究。该奖项是由分子和细胞生物科学部的遗传机制和细胞动力学与功能群共同资助的。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The cell nucleus provides a subcellular compartment to harbor the genetic information, the DNA, and more importantly, to enable precise regulation of individual genes in response to developmental and environmental stimuli. Accumulating evidence from studies in yeast and animals indicates that the nucleus controls gene activity by spatially segregating active and inactive genes into distinct subnuclear domains. In particular, the nuclear envelope is divided into two domains, the nuclear pores and the non-pore region, for hosting active and inactive genes, respectively. However, plants contain significantly different nuclear-envelope components from those in yeast and animals; as a result, if and how perinuclear gene positioning contributes to gene activity in plants remains unknown. The proposed experiments aim to unveil the significance and mechanism of perinuclear gene positioning in gene activation in plants and establish a live-cell imaging technology for visualizing individual genes. The outcome of this project is expected to generate novel insights into both plant-specific and general principles of spatial genome organization and gene regulation in eukaryotes and establish an enabling technology to facilitate studies on the spatial organization of individual genes in plants. Further, the project will train the next generation of scientists, including underrepresented minority students, in critical thinking, experimental design and execution, and scientific communications.This collaborative project aims to use Arabidopsis thaliana as a model to understand the significance and mechanism of perinuclear gene positioning in gene activation in plants. The PI pioneered the discovery of the nuclear-periphery localization of light-inducible genes upon activation. Stemming from the previous studies, the PIs will employ cell biology and genetics approaches to determine the function of the nuclear envelope in the developmental and environmental control of gene activation and to elucidate the mechanism of gene recruitment to the nuclear periphery in plants. Also, the PIs plan to establish a CRISPR-based imaging technology for labeling single-copy genes in living plant cells. Together, this integrated approach is expected to provide insights into the function of the plant nuclear envelope in gene regulation and establish a genetically tractable experimental model for studying gene positioning in the plant kingdom. The research team will disseminate the scientific findings and the new empowering technology through publication and conference presentations to promote research on gene positioning in plants. This award was co-funded by the Genetic Mechanisms and Cellular Dynamics and Function clusters of the Division of Molecular and Cellular Biosciences.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.