RUI: Seasonal regulation of reproduction in Physcomitrella patens

RUI：小立碗藓繁殖的季节性调节

• 批准号: 1656091
• 负责人: Karen Hicks
• 金额: $ 45万
• 依托单位: Kenyon College
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-02-01 至 2023-01-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1656091&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Seasonal; regulation; reproduction; Physcomitrella

Seasonal information, including temperature and daylength, is used by many plant and animal species to coordinate their reproduction with the environment, so that their offspring are produced at an appropriate time of year. Many flowering plants sense and respond to seasonal cues using a very similar genetic process, suggesting that this process evolved before these species separated from one another. The goal of this project is to better understand the evolution of seasonal regulation by studying how it works in a very distantly related plant, the moss Physcomitrella patens. The results of this research may be pivotal in developing new agricultural crop varieties, especially as seasonal conditions change globally. Undergraduate research students will gain valuable expertise in research through involvement in all aspects of the project. The project will also provide a postdoctoral scientist with training and mentorship in both teaching and research. This project uses the moss Physcomitrella patens to probe the evolutionary origin of seasonal regulation in land plants, in order to determine if seasonal regulation evolved prior to the divergence of land plants, or if it arose separately in distinct land plant lineages. A third model would involve conserved upstream pathway components coupled to a novel downstream regulatory module that induces gametangial differentiation in response to proper seasonal cues. In order to distinguish between these alternatives, the project will identify genes involved in seasonal regulation of reproduction in Physcomitrella, utilizing natural variants that differ in their responses to seasonal cues. A combination of whole-genome re-sequencing and RNAseq transcript profiling will be used to identify genes that may be involved in reproductive timing in response to environmental cues. Candidate gene transcript level will be assessed in a wider range of conditions and accessions using quantitative RT-PCR and targeted gene knockouts will be used to assess the functional involvement of candidate genes in seasonal regulation of sexual reproduction. The project will provide significant research training undergraduate student researchers and professional development including presentation at national and international conferences, and will provide an outstanding training opportunity for a postdoctoral scientist interested in undergraduate education.

许多植物和动物物种利用季节信息（包括温度和日照长度）来协调其繁殖与环境，以便在一年中的适当时间产生后代。许多开花植物使用非常相似的遗传过程来感知和响应季节线索，这表明这一过程是在这些物种彼此分离之前进化的。该项目的目标是通过研究季节调节在一种远缘植物——小立碗藓（Physcomitrella patens）中的作用方式，更好地了解季节调节的演变。这项研究的结果可能对开发新的农作物品种至关重要，特别是在全球季节性条件发生变化的情况下。本科研究生将通过参与项目的各个方面获得宝贵的研究专业知识。该项目还将为一名博士后科学家提供教学和研究方面的培训和指导。该项目利用苔藓植物小立碗藓（Physcomitrella patens）探究陆地植物季节性调节的进化起源，以确定季节性调节是否在陆地植物分化之前进化，或者是否单独出现在不同的陆地植物谱系中。第三种模型将涉及保守的上游途径成分与新颖的下游调节模块的耦合，该模块根据适当的季节性线索诱导配子体分化。为了区分这些替代方案，该项目将利用对季节线索反应不同的自然变体，识别参与立碗藓繁殖季节调节的基因。全基因组重测序和 RNAseq 转录谱分析相结合，将用于识别可能参与响应环境提示的生殖时间的基因。将使用定量 RT-PCR 在更广泛的条件和种质中评估候选基因转录水平，并将使用靶向基因敲除来评估候选基因在有性生殖季节性调节中的功能参与。该项目将为本科生研究人员提供重要的研究培训和专业发展，包括在国内和国际会议上的演讲，并将为对本科教育感兴趣的博士后科学家提供出色的培训机会。