Understanding the molecular mechanisms that regulate arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis

虽然植物是无根的，但它们不断地与环境相互作用，包括构成它们微生物群的活微生物（病毒、细菌、真菌）。植物与微生物的相互作用是植物健康的最强决定因素之一，可能对农业生产力产生积极或消极的影响。正如研究致病病原体作为保护作物免受感染的一种手段很重要一样，了解有益微生物如何提高生产力作为加强这些伙伴关系的一种手段也很重要。丛枝菌根（AM）共生是一种古老的、有益的相互作用，发生在地球上大约80%的陆地植物和一组称为肾小球菌的土壤真菌之间。这种共生关系是建立在植物向真菌交换碳的基础上的，作为回报，真菌向宿主交换土壤矿物质营养。AM真菌自然地与所有全球重要的粮食作物进行有益的共生，极大地改善了对土壤中磷和其他营养物质的吸收。参与AM共生的植物也表现出对许多胁迫（包括干旱、盐度和疾病）的抵抗力增强，进一步强调了这种关联的重要性。我的长期研究目标是了解AM真菌定殖植物的机制。该计划的第一个目标是寻找真菌在共生过程中合成的新蛋白质，并在植物中促进真菌的根定植。第二个目标侧重于表征真菌蛋白在共生过程中靶向寄主植物细胞核的功能，以评估这些真菌蛋白是否改变寄主基因表达。虽然有充分的证据表明AM真菌在广泛的植物中定植，但这些真菌是如何做到的在很大程度上是未知的。我的研究项目旨在解决这些限制。实现这一目标很重要，因为它可能转化为我们可以进一步加强保护作物免受致病微生物侵害的方法，这些微生物可能通过类似的机制感染植物。此外，对AM真菌如何积极促进共生的理解可能会确定我们可以更有效地利用这种古老伙伴关系潜力的途径。人们越来越认识到农业研究的重要性，特别是在气候变化和粮食安全问题将在未来几十年强烈影响全球发展的时代。与粮食安全密切相关的是，我们目前对磷等土壤矿质养分的开采是高度不可持续的。我的研究有一个长期目标，以可持续、环保的方式改善农业，帮助发展中国家和加拿大等发达国家的农民，并为整个全球社会提供支持。

Although sessile, plants are constantly interacting with their environment, including the living microorganisms (viruses, bacteria, fungi) that comprise their microbiome. Plant-microbe interactions represent one of the strongest determinants of plant health, with the potential to either positively or negatively influence agricultural productivity. Just as it is important to study disease-causing pathogens as a means of protecting crops from infection, so it is important to understand how beneficial microorganisms increase productivity as a means of enhancing these partnerships. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis is an ancient, beneficial interaction that occurs between approximately 80% of land plants on Earth, and a group of soil-dwelling fungi called Glomeromycota. The symbiosis is based on an exchange of carbon from the plant to the fungus, and in return, soil mineral nutrients from the fungus to its host. AM fungi naturally participate in beneficial symbioses with all globally important food crops, dramatically ameliorating the uptake of phosphorous and other nutrients from the soil. Plants that participate in AM symbiosis also show increased resistance against many stresses (including drought, salinity, and disease), further emphasizing the importance of this association. My long-term research objective is to understand the mechanisms by which AM fungi colonize plants. The first objective of this program seeks to identify novel proteins that are synthesized by the fungus during symbiosis and that act in the plant to promote root colonization by the fungus. The second objective focuses on characterizing the function of fungal proteins that are targeted to the nucleus of host plants during symbiosis to assess whether these fungal proteins alter host gene expression. Although it is well documented that AM fungi colonize a wide range of plants, how these fungi do so is largely unknown. My research program seeks to address these limitations. Achieving this goal is important because it may translate into ways by which we can further enhance protection of crops against disease-causing microbes, which may infect plants using similar mechanisms. Also, an understanding of how AM fungi actively promote symbiosis may identify avenues from which we can more effectively harness the potential of this ancient partnership. There is an ever increasing realization of the importance of agricultural research, particularly in an era where climate change and food security are issues that will strongly shape global development in the coming decades. Closely linked to food security, our current exploitation of soil mineral nutrients such as phosphorous is highly unsustainable. My research has a long-term goal of improving agriculture in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly way, aiding farmers in developing, and developed countries such as Canada, and supporting global society as a whole.