Elucidating the genetic mechanism underlying de novo polarisation of the Marchanita spore

在发育生物学的背景下，极性可以被定义为沿着轴的不对称性的存在。极性在不同的水平上是明显的，从整个有机体水平，例如维管植物的顶端-基轴(茎-根)，一直到细胞水平。细胞极化是多细胞生命发展的基础，因为这是细胞分化的基础--通过调节细胞生长和分裂模式，单个细胞可以形成一个高度有组织的大范围特化细胞集合。细胞信令对于定位和指定要在细胞内建立的极性的性质是必要的。已被证明在包括真菌、动物和植物在内的广泛的真核生物中发出细胞极化信号的一个基因家族是GTPase的Rho家族。Rho of Plants(Rho of Plants，Rho)是植物特有的Rho GTP酶亚家族，在拟南芥中已被广泛研究。然而，拟南芥(A.thaliana)中的遗传冗余(有11个ROP基因)阻碍了对ROP功能的充分认识。多形地钱只有一个ROP基因，随着遗传资源和技术的发展，多形地钱成为研究细胞极化遗传学的一个有吸引力的系统。从细胞极化中ROP功能的特征开始，将研究多态微孢子虫细胞极化的遗传和分子调控。这项工作旨在提高我们对极性是如何在植物发育早期建立并继续协调后期发育的理解。这项工作应该揭示发育生物学的一个基本方面。BBSRC的优先领域：我们严重依赖植物作为食物。提高我们对植物发育的理解可以帮助我们在未来培育出更好的作物。

Polarity in the context of developmental biology can be defined as the presence of asymmetry along an axis. Polarity is evident at different levels, from the whole organism level e.g. apical-basal (shoot-root) axis of a vascular plant, down to the cellular level. Cellular polarisation, which is revealed through polar cell growth and asymmetric cell division, is fundamental for the development of multicellular life as this is the basis of cell differentiation - through regulating cell growth and division patterns, a single cell can give rise to a highly organised collection of a vast range of specialised cells. Cellular signalling is necessary to orient and specify the nature of polarity to be established within a cell. One family of genes which has been demonstrated to signal cell polarisation in a wide range of eukaryotes, including fungi, animals, and plants, is the Rho family of GTPases. Rho Of Plants (ROPs) is a subfamily of Rho GTPases unique to plants, and its role in signalling cell polarisation has been studied quite extensively in Arabidopsis thaliana. However, genetic redundancy in A. thaliana (there are 11 ROP genes), has prevented a full appreciation of ROP function from being gained. The liverwort Marchantia polymorpha only has a single ROP gene, and the recent development of genetic resources and techniques available for this model organism makes M. polymorpha an attractive system to study the genetics of cell polarisation. Starting with the characterisation of ROP function in cell polarisation, the genetic and molecular regulation of cell polarisation will be investigated in M. polymorpha. This work aims to improve our understanding of how polarity is established early on in plant development and continues to coordinate later development. This work should shed light on a fundamental aspect of developmental biology.BBSRC priority area:We rely heavily on plants for food. Improving our understanding of plant development could assist with generation of better crops in the future.