Sequence Requirements for Small RNA Targeting in Plants

植物中小 RNA 靶向的序列要求

• 批准号: 1121438
• 负责人: Michael Axtell
• 金额: $ 52.5万
• 依托单位: Pennsylvania State Univ University Park
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-11-01 至 2015-10-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1121438&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Sequence; Requirements; Small; RNA; Targeting

Intellectual Merit: Every cell in a given organism contains exactly the same DNA genome, yet the organism contains many cell types that are differentiated and highly specialized for certain functions. The functional differences between various cell types with the same genome are dictated by the subset of DNA-encoded genes that are activated (turned on) or silenced (turned off). The control of gene expression (on or off) thus plays a fundamental role in shaping cellular function in complex organisms. One type of gene expression control mechanism is directed by small regulatory RNAs. Small RNAs function to identify target RNAs in the cell by RNA-RNA complementarity. Essentially, if a given small RNA has a good match in sequence to a given target RNA, that target RNA will be prevented from being utilized further, and expression of the target gene will be turned off. Small RNA-based methods of gene expression control are prominent in plants, play important roles in normal plant growth and agricultural productivity, and can be exploited in biotechnological applications where control of gene expression is desirable. This project is seeking to understand the rules by which small RNAs recognize their targets in plants. The project specifically will examine the extent and configuration of matching RNA bases required to allow small RNAs to recognize and regulate their targets in plants. The outcome of this project will be a much more complete understanding of how the small RNA-mediated gene expression system is able to discriminate its handful of target RNAs from the thousands of non-target RNAs present in the cell. Broader Impacts: Small RNAs are known to control key aspects of plant growth development, many of them with agricultural significance in crop plants. Small RNAs also dictate the repression of vast portions of plant genomes comprised of parasitic, so-called junk DNA. Manipulation of small RNAs already plays a key role in many plant biotechnology applications, but without a thorough understanding of how small RNAs work, these applications are limited. The understanding of small RNA target identification provided by this project should enhance such applications. This project also involves training of scientists, a critical national goal, both at the Ph.D. level and undergraduate level. One of the project goals will be used as a springboard for developing a new laboratory course in RNA Biology at Pennsylvania State University, thus enhancing scientific literacy and education of these students.

智力优点：给定生物体中的每个细胞都包含完全相同的DNA基因组，但是生物体包含许多分化和高度专业化的细胞类型。 具有相同基因组的各种细胞类型之间的功能差异取决于被激活（打开）或沉默（关闭）的DNA编码基因的子集。 因此，基因表达（开或关）的控制在塑造复杂生物体的细胞功能方面起着基本作用。 一种类型的基因表达控制机制由小的调节RNA指导。 通过RNA-RNA互补性鉴定细胞中靶标RNA的小函数。 从本质上讲，如果给定的小RNA与给定靶RNA顺序具有良好的匹配，则该靶RNA将被进一步使用，并且将关闭靶基因的表达。 基于RNA的小型基因表达控制方法在植物中很突出，在正常的植物生长和农业生产力中起着重要作用，并且可以在希望控制基因表达的生物技术应用中利用。 该项目正在寻求了解小型RNA认识到其植物目标的规则。 该项目将专门研究允许小RNA识别和调节植物目标所需的匹配RNA碱基的程度和配置。 该项目的结果将对小RNA介导的基因表达系统如何能够将其少数靶RNA与细胞中存在的数千个非目标RNA区分开来更加完整地理解。更广泛的影响：众所周知，小型RNA可以控制植物生长的关键方面，其中许多人在作物植物中具有农业意义。 小型RNA还决定了由寄生虫，所谓的垃圾DNA组成的大部分植物基因组的抑制。 对小RNA的操纵已经在许多植物生物技术应用中起着关键作用，但是如果没有透彻了解小RNA的工作方式，这些应用是有限的。 对该项目提供的小型RNA目标识别的理解应增强此类应用。 该项目还涉及培训科学家，这是一个关键的国家目标，均在博士学位上进行。水平和本科水平。项目目标之一将用作宾夕法尼亚州立大学RNA生物学新实验室课程的跳板，从而增强了这些学生的科学素养和教育。