Regulation of isoprenoid metabolism in Lavandula

这项研究将提高我们对类异戊二烯或萜类天然产物的生产的理解，也被称为次生或专门代谢物，在植物中。类异戊二烯包含超过30000种生化化合物，在植物的生长、发育和生态中起着至关重要的作用。它们在工业上也非常重要，作为功能性食品、化妆品、卫生产品、药品和生物燃料等的关键成分，影响着人类的生活。鉴于萜类化合物的生理作用和工业重要性，人们对了解控制它们在植物中产生的分子、生化和细胞机制非常感兴趣。特别是，植物体内类异戊二烯代谢和储存的调控机制尚不清楚。薰衣草是世界上重要的农业植物，也是加拿大值得关注的新兴作物，其精油（EO）成分（单萜类和倍半萜类；分别为C10和C15类萜类）的生产调控是拟议研究的重点。薰衣草在叶子和花朵表面的腺状毛状体（或油腺）中产生大量的精油。EOs在食品（如糖果和饼干）、化妆品（如香水和除臭剂）、个人护理产品（如肥皂和洗发水）和替代药物（如芳香疗法中使用的几种产品）中有广泛的应用。本研究的总体目标是研究薰衣草中单萜和倍半萜产生和储存的分子生物学。具体目标是鉴定、克隆和研究参与EO成分的生物合成和分泌以及碳分配到各种萜类亚类的结构和调控基因的功能。

This research will improve our understanding of the production of the isoprenoid, or terpenoid, class of natural products, also known as secondary or specialized metabolites, in plants. The isoprenoids encompass over 30,000 biochemical compounds that play crucial roles in the growth, development and ecology of plants. They are also industrially very significant and impact human lives as key constituents of functional foods, cosmetics, hygiene products, medicines, and biofuels, among others. Given the physiological roles and industrial importance of the terpenoids, there is considerable interest in understanding the molecular, biochemical and cellular mechanisms that control their production in plants. In particular, regulation of isoprenoid metabolism and storage in plants is poorly understood. The proposed studies focus on the regulation of the production of essential oil (EO) constituents (mono- and sesquiterpenes; the C10 and C15 class of the terpenoids, respectively) in lavenders, which are important agricultural plants worldwide, and are noteworthy emerging crops in Canada. Lavenders produce large quantities of EO in glandular trichomes (or oil glands) present on the surfaces of leaf and flower parts. The EOs find extensive applications in foods (e.g., candies and cookies), cosmetics (e.g., perfumes and deodorants), personal care products (e.g., soaps and shampoos), and in alternative medicines (e.g., several products used in aromatherapy). The overall goal of this research is to investigate the molecular biology of mono- and sesquiterpene production and storage in lavenders. Specific objectives are to identify, clone and study the functions of the structural and regulatory genes involved in the biosynthesis and secretion of EO constituents, and in partitioning of carbon to various terpenoid sub-classes. The proposed research generates knowledge in an important and currently active area of plant science. The findings, which can be extrapolated to other plants, provide several avenues for improving EO yield and quality, and other important agronomic traits such as resistance to disease, in lavenders and related plants through plant breeding and biotechnology. There is also excellent potential for development of technologies for enhancing the production of industrially important phytochemicals in plants, and for production of high value terpenoids in microbial and/or cell-free in vitro systems. Further, the research facilitates collaboration among university, government and industrial researchers and creates opportunities for training and employment of undergraduate and graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows. Additionally, the research benefits several industry sectors including lavender farmers, and businesses that rely on medicinal and industrial plants that produce commercially relevant isoprenoids.