The Generation Gap - understanding tissue communication during grain development

代沟 - 了解谷物发育过程中的组织通讯

• 批准号: 2468787
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: University of Dundee
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Studentship
• 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=studentship-2468787
• 关键词: Generation; Gap; understanding; tissue; communication

Cereal grain provides more calories to our food supply than any other source. Cereal grain is also a critical feedstock for malting and brewing. Despite this, we know little about how a cereal grain develops. In the McKim lab, we use barley as a model cereal to learn about the genes controlling grain development, with our overall aim to improve grain yield and quality. The grain contains an embryo and endosperm, both filial tissues, which are surrounded by nutritive maternal tissues (1). During development, maternal tissues degrade as the endosperm enlarges by accumulating large reserves of starch. The embryo, endosperm and maternal tissues communicate with each other to coordinate this process (1,2). We recently discovered that defects in a transcription factor-encoding gene changes the extent and timing of maternal elimination, dramatically altering endosperm size and shape. In this project, your objective is to find out how this gene controls maternal tissue development and grain dimensions. To address this objective, you will use state-of-the-art imaging technologies and transcriptomic profiling to understand how this gene alters maternal tissue and endosperm cell division and expansion and gene expression. You will also use and develop hormone reporter lines to assess how this gene may influence hormone signalling across grain tissues. We will also exploit existing mutants and CRISPR-Cas gene editing technologies to study upstream and downstream regulators of this gene. While based in our lab at the University of Dundee at the James Hutton Institute, you will execute this project in close collaboration with the research group of Assistant Professor Matt Tucker at the University of Adelaide, Australia. As part of this collaboartion, you will spend time in Prof Tucker's lab in Adelaide. From this work, you will learn advanced approaches in crop genomics, transcriptomics and imaging as well as exploit the latest tools in developmental crop genetics. As part of the McKim lab, you will be expected to present at conferences and engage with the public about your work. You will participate in post-graduate training in generic skills will benefit from a unique training environment offered by the Division of Plant Sciences, based at The James Hutton Institute (JHI), one of the best centres in the world to study cereals. This project would best suit a student who has a passion for research and relishes independence and new experiences. The ideal candidate will also be keen to contribute to group efforts within the McKim lab. This PhD project will give the successful candidate transferrable lab skills, experience in crop development research and exposure to a highly stimulating research environment. (1) Baroux C, Grossniklaus U. Seeds-An evolutionary innovation underlying reproductive success in flowering plants. Current topics in developmental biology. 2019;131:605-42. (2) Doll N.M., Depe`ge-Fargeix N., Rogowsky P.M., and Widiez T.(2017). Signaling in Early Maize KernelDevelopment. Mol. Plant.10, 375-388

谷物谷物比其他任何来源可为我们的食物供应提供更多的卡路里。谷物谷物也是刷新和酿造的关键原料。尽管如此，我们对谷物谷物的发展知之甚少。在McKim Lab中，我们使用大麦作为模型谷物来了解控制谷物发育的基因，以提高谷物产量和质量。谷物含有一个胚胎和胚乳，都是圆周组织，它们都被营养母体组织包围（1）。在发育过程中，母体组织通过积累大量淀粉储量来降解作为胚乳增大的。胚胎，胚乳和母体组织相互通信以协调这一过程（1,2）。我们最近发现，转录因子编码基因中的缺陷会改变孕产妇消除的程度和时机，从而极大地改变了胚乳的大小和形状。在这个项目中，您的目标是找出该基因如何控制母体组织的发育和谷物尺寸。为了解决这一目标，您将使用最先进的成像技术和转录组分析，以了解该基因如何改变母体组织和胚乳细胞分裂以及膨胀和基因表达。您还将使用和开发激素记者线来评估该基因如何影响跨谷物组织的激素信号传导。我们还将利用现有的突变体和CRISPR-CAS基因编辑技术来研究该基因的上游和下游调节剂。在詹姆斯·赫顿学院（James Hutton Institute）的邓迪大学（University of James Hutton Institute）的实验室时，您将与澳大利亚阿德莱德大学的助理教授马特·塔克（Matt Tucker）的研究小组密切合作。作为这项合作的一部分，您将在阿德莱德教授的实验室里度过时光。从这项工作中，您将学习作物基因组学，转录组学和成像方面的先进方法，并利用发展性作物遗传学的最新工具。作为McKim Lab的一部分，您将期望您在会议上介绍并与公众互动。您将参加通用技能的研究生培训，将受益于由詹姆斯·赫顿学院（JHI）（JHI）的植物科学部提供的独特培训环境，这是世界上研究谷物的最佳中心之一。该项目最适合对研究并喜欢独立和新经验的学生。理想的候选人也将热衷于为麦金实验室内的团体努力做出贡献。该博士学位项目将赋予成功的候选实验室技能，作物开发研发方面的经验以及暴露于高度刺激的研究环境中。 （1）Baroux C，Grossniklaus U.种子 - 开花植物生殖成功的进化创新。发育生物学的当前主题。 2019; 131：605-42。 （2）Doll N.M.，Depe`Ge-Fargeix N.，Rogowsky P.M.和Widiez T.（2017）。早期玉米核发达的信号。摩尔。 Plant.10，375-388