The Need for Speed: Understanding the Importance of Different ELF3 Nuclear Localisation Mechanisms

对速度的需求：了解不同 ELF3 核定位机制的重要性

• 批准号: BB/Z514998/1
• 负责人: James Ronald
• 金额: $ 52.82万
• 依托单位: University of York
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Fellowship
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=BB%2FZ514998%2F1
• 关键词: Need; Speed; Understanding; Importance; Different

Circadian clocks are endogenous timekeeping mechanisms that enable organisms to coordinate their internal physiological responses with the external environmental. Manipulation of the plant circadian clock has been critical for plant domestication, while further alterations to clock function will contribute to the generation of crop varieties suitable for the changing climate. Over the last three decades of plant circadian research, we have developed detailed genetic and mathematical models of the clock system. In contrast, studies investigating the protein dynamics of the plant circadian clock are nascent. Where and when circadian proteins are active in the cell remains largely unknown. Understanding the circadian clock from a protein perspective is necessary to fully conceptualise and understand the impact of gene mutations on function and phenotype.The research proposed in this fellowship will investigate the cellular dynamics of the plant circadian protein EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3), a key hub protein within the plant circadian clock. So far, all functions of ELF3 are dependent on its localisation to the nucleus. However, it remains unknown how ELF3 arrives in the nucleus. Originally, ELF3 was proposed to localise to the nucleus through a specific sequence motif. However, this sequence motif is present in only a small number of plant species. Instead, my research suggests that ELF3 localises to the nucleus through interactions with other proteins. Understanding how these protein-protein interactions mediates the nuclear localisation of ELF3 is critical in understanding how ELF3 functions.The proposed work will utilise cellular, biochemical, and genetic approaches to provide new fundamental insights into how ELF3 localises to the nucleus and the contribution of this mechanism for its overall functionality.

昼夜节律时钟是内源性计时机制，使生物可以与外部环境协调其内部生理反应。对植物昼夜节律时钟的操纵对于植物驯化至关重要，而时钟功能的进一步改变将有助于生成适合气候变化的作物品种。在过去的三十年中，植物昼夜节律研究已经开发了时钟系统的详细遗传和数学模型。相比之下，研究植物昼夜节律时钟的蛋白质动力学的研究是新生的。昼夜节律蛋白在细胞中活性的何时何时仍然未知。从蛋白质的角度了解昼夜节律对于完全概念化并了解基因突变对功能和表型的影响是必要的。该奖学金中提出的研究将研究植物昼夜节律蛋白质早期开花3（ELF3）的细胞动力学，这是植物昼夜小时内的关键HUB蛋白。到目前为止，ELF3的所有功能都取决于其对核的定位。但是，ELF3如何到达核中仍然未知。最初，提出ELF3通过特定序列基序定位于核。但是，此序列基序仅存在于少数植物物种中。取而代之的是，我的研究表明，通过与其他蛋白质的相互作用，ELF3局部与细胞核存在。了解这些蛋白质蛋白相互作用如何介导ELF3的核定位置对于理解ELF3的功能至关重要。拟议的工作将利用细胞，生化和遗传学方法来提供有关ELF3本地位置如何对Nucleus及其整体功能的贡献的新基本见解。