Regulation of APETALA2 in flower development in Arabidopsis

我们使用拟南芥中的花发育作为模型来理解多细胞中的细胞如何 生物体承担着它们的发育命运，并形成不同的模式。我们的长期目标是 识别和分析遗传网络和潜在的分子机制 花原基中的细胞命运规范。 长期以来，三类花卉同源异型转录因子被称为A、B和C 基因一直是花器官识别规范中唯一的参与者。我们的研究发现了一种 MicroRNA，miR172，作为A类基因APETALA2的翻译抑制因子，表明 转录后调控在花的发育中也起着作用。在建议的项目中，我们 将使用分子遗传学方法来确定miR172如何适应调节电路 调控花的发育，并探讨miR172如何调控APETALA2在花的发育过程中 翻译级。 编码转录因子的同源异型基因在两种动物的细胞命运决定中起作用 和植物。MicroRNAs在两种动物中作为同源异型基因调节器的新证据 植物为控制细胞命运的已知转录网络增加了一层新的调控 规格。这项拟议的研究无疑将为整合 多细胞发育过程中的转录后和转录机制 有机体。这项拟议的研究还将为深入了解 MicroRNA介导的靶mRNAs的翻译抑制。鉴于……的保守行为 小RNA在动植物基因调控中的作用及其作为 治疗药物，这项研究将有助于我们理解小RNA生物学在 对使用小核糖核酸治疗人类疾病具有普遍意义和影响。

We use flower development in Arabidopsis as a model to understand how cells in multicellular organisms assume their developmental fates and form distinct patterns. Our long-term goal is to identify and analyze the genetic networks and the underlying molecular mechanisms that lead to cell fate specification in the floral primordium. For a long time, three classes of floral homeotic transcription factors known as the A, B, and C genes have been the only players in floral organ identity specification. Our studies have identified a microRNA, miR172, as a translational represser of the class A gene APETALA2, indicating that posttranscriptional regulation also plays a role in flower development. In the proposed project, we will employ molecular genetic approaches to determine how miR172 fits in the regulatory circuitry governing flower development and to probe how miR172 regulates APETALA2 mRNA at the translational level. Homeotic genes that encode transcription factors act in cell fate specification in both animals and plants. Emerging evidence of microRNAs as regulators of homeotic genes in both animals and plants adds a new layer of regulation to the known transcriptional networks governing cell fate specification. The proposed research will undoubtedly provide insights into the integration of posttranscriptional and transcriptional mechanisms in developmental processes in multicellular organisms. The proposed research will also provide insights into the mechanism of microRNA-mediated translational repression of target mRNAs. Given the conserved actions of small RNAs in gene regulation in plants and animals and the potential of using small RNAs as therapeutic agents, this research will contribute to our understanding of small RNA biology in general and impact the uses of small RNAs to treat human diseases.