MOLECULAR BIOLOGY OF CAROTENOID BIOSYNTHESIS

类胡萝卜素，主要来自植物食物，有许多必需的 在动物身上的角色。例如，类胡萝卜素是一种 视觉的基本成分，维生素A和其他类维甲酸化合物 与动物形态发生有关的。类胡萝卜素也有抗癌的作用。 试剂，作为光保护剂，作为免疫调节剂，在增强 蜂窝通讯。维生素A缺乏症在发育期的患病率 由于饮食中类胡萝卜素不足而导致的国家可能会通过以下方式缓解 将适当的基因改造成这些人的主食 国家，大米。水稻胚乳中缺乏类胡萝卜素，这是水稻 蛋白质和淀粉。研究的重点是隔离和隔离。 玉米类胡萝卜素生物合成所需基因的特征。 调控这一重要途径的调控机制的阐明 将导致改进类胡萝卜素的工程谷物的策略 内容。玉米是一个很好的模式系统，因为它的胚乳确实可以 并储存这些必要的色素。此外，分子研究 通过许多具有良好特征的突变的可用性而得到加强 堵住了通道。基因将根据以下方面进行表征 物理图谱、时间和发育表达谱在RNA和 蛋白质水平，以及类胡萝卜素突变对表达的影响。这 研究项目是我们MBR本科生共同努力的结果， 博士后、博士后和我自己。

Carotenoids, mainly derived from plant foods, have numerous essential roles in animals. For example, carotenoids are metabolic precursors of an essential component of vision, Vitamin A, and of other retinoid compounds involved in animal morphogenesis. Carotenoids also function as anticancer agents, as photoprotectors, as immunomodulating agents, and in enhancing cell communication. The prevalence of Vitamin A deficiency in developing nations due to inadequate carotenoid in the diet might be alleviated by engineering of appropriate genes into the major food staple in those countries, rice. Rice lacks carotenoids in the endosperm, the source of protein and starch. The focus of the research is the isolation and characterization of genes required for carotenoid biosynthesis in maize. Elucidation of regulatory mechanisms controlling this essential pathway will lead to strategies of engineering grains for improved carotenoid content. Maize is an excellent model system as its endosperm does make and store these essential pigments. Furthermore, the molecular studies are enhanced by the availability of many well characterized mutations blocking the pathway. Genes will be characterized with respect to physical maps, temporal and developmental expression profiles at RNA and protein levels, and effect of carotenoid mutations on expression. This research program is a concerted effort made by our MBRS undergraduates, predoctoral students, a postdoctoral fellow, and myself.