Bioherbicides: A focus on identifying the mode of action of natural flavonoids

开发新的、更环保的除草剂为农业公司提供了一个旨在改善全球粮食安全的关键目标。了解潜在除草剂的分子机制对于实现这一目标至关重要。该项目将使用一个简单、易处理的模型系统来研究一类与肉豆蔻酮A有关的新型除草剂的分子靶标和作用机制。肉豆蔻酮A是一种罕见的激素衍生物和植物毒性黄酮类化合物，它为目前的合成除草剂提供了一种“天然”的替代品。对肉豆蔻酮A及其相关化合物的作用模式进行表征，可能会为下一代环保除草剂提供一种新的作用模式。本项目将采用社会阿米巴--盘基网眼虫作为研究模型。利用该系统进行分子研究，将加深我们对肉豆蔻酮_A及其相关化合物的靶点和作用机制的了解。通过遗传筛选，将确定化合物的潜在直接目标，并将在生物化学水平上分析急性和慢性机制。还将评估与肉豆蔻酮相关的化合物对细胞功能的化学功能。因此，这些研究将提高我们对这一潜在的新一代除草剂的分子基础的理解。这项研究将涵盖广泛的细胞和分子技术，包括细胞培养、突变体库筛选、DNA克隆和质粒构建、荧光显微镜和生化分析。有关肉豆蔻酮A和相关化合物的靶标和作用机制的发现将转化为植物模型。因此，该项目将使人们更好地了解与霉酚酮相关的化合物在农业中的作用机制(S)。该项目将设在Robin SB Williams教授的实验室(见这里)，提供模型系统和研究程序方面的专业知识，并与Gerhard Leubner教授(见此处；和www.seed biology.eu；以及此处)密切合作，提供myrigone A和植物系统翻译方面的专业知识。这将是一个极具竞争力的项目，并要求优秀的本科生在他们的学位或硕士毕业生的最后一年申请。应聘者应具备一定的分子细胞生物学经验。Case Industrial Placement：为期三个月的Case Placement将在先正达位于英国或瑞士的国际研究站进行。实习将为学生提供与项目主题相关的应用研究和方法方面的经验和培训。这样做的时间是灵活的，在博士项目的初始和中期阶段，将战略性地放置一个或两个区块。

Developing new, more environmentally friendly herbicides provides a key goal for agricultural companies aiming to improve global food security. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of potential herbicides is essential for this goal. This project will employ a simple, tractable model system to investigate the molecular targets and mechanisms of a new class of herbicides relating to myrigalone A, a rare hormone-derivative and phytotoxic flavonoid that provides a 'natural' alternative to current synthetic herbicides. Characterising the mode of action of myrigalone A and related compounds will likely provide a new mode of action for the next generation of eco-friendly herbicides. This project will employ the social amoeba, Dictyostelium discoideum, as a research model. Using this system, molecular studies will improve our understanding of the targets and mechanism of myrigalone_A and related compounds. Through genetic screens, potential direct targets for the compounds will be identified, and both acute and chronic mechanisms will be analysed at a biochemical level. The chemical functionality of myrigalone-related compounds on cell function will also be assessed. These studies will therefore improve our understanding of the molecular basis of this potential new generation of herbicides. The research will encompass a broad range of cell and molecular techniques including cell culture, mutant library screening, DNA cloning and plasmid construction, fluorescence microscopy, and biochemical assays. Discoveries regarding the targets and mechanism of action of myrigalone A and related compounds will then be translated to plant models. The project will therefore lead to a better understanding of the mechanism(s) of action of myrigalone-related compounds in agricultural use. The project will be based in the laboratory of Prof Robin SB Williams (see here) providing expertise in the model system and research procedures, and in a close collaboration with Prof Gerhard Leubner (see here; and www.seedbiology.eu; and here) providing expertise in myrigalone A and translation to plant system. This will be an extremely competitive program and applications are requested from outstanding undergraduate students in their final year of their degree or Masters graduates. Applicant will be expected to have some experience with molecular cell biology. CASE Industrial Placement: The three month-CASE placement will be at Syngenta's International Research Stations in the UK or Switzerland. The placement will provide experience and training it the applied research and methods relevant to the project's topics. The timing of this is flexible, and will be either one or two blocks placed strategically in the initial and middle phase of the PhD project.