| 摘要: | 研究期間：10108~10207;RNA molecules play important roles not only as information carriers, but also in structural compartment and catalytic function. Overall, RNAs are synthesized and processed in nucleus and transferred into to cytoplasm. Base on specific functions of RNAs, RNA molecules can be long single strands or short strands folded into specific tertiary structures. It is known that a variety of proteins are required to assure the correct folding and to maintain or modify specific secondary or tertiary structures of RNAs. Among of these proteins, the DEAD box RNA helicase families are involved in nuclear transcription, pre-mRNA splicing, ribosome biogenesis, nucleocytoplasmic transport, translation, RNA decay and gene expression. Although DEAD box RNA helicases are believed as important regulators for RNA molecules, the specific biological roles of individual RNA helicases are still unclear. Yeast is a good host system to study the DEAD box RNA helicases, many of valuable studies have been reported previously. However, most high eukaryotic organisms are multi-cellular containing more complicated metabolic systems than yeast. Thus, only study in yeast sometimes led to unrespectable biological functions of DEAD box RNA helicases in high eukaryotic organisms. In order to identify the specific role of a DEAD box RNA helicase, RH36, both in Arabidopsis and rice, we propose to use genetic, molecular biology and cell biology approaches to address. We reported that a rice and Arabidopsis DEAD box RNA helicase 36 is function in rRNA biogenesis. Moreover, we demonstrated that the RH36 is involved in the female gametophyte development in plants. Further investigations are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of RH36 in plant rRNA biogenesis and how to affect the plant female gematogenesis. Therefore, three major subjects are proposed. First, to elucidate how RH36 is involved in plant rRNA biogenesis, inducible overexpression and RNAi of OsRH36 and AtRH36 are applied. Second, we will identify the specific helicase activity and its substrate specificity. Finally, we will analyze RH36 interaction proteins and demonstrate their biological functions. This project, together with in vitro helicase activity assay and transgenic plant system, will provide biochemical and the biological function of RH36 in plants. The value of this project is to directly demonstrate the role of RH36 in plant female development. The potential agricultural value of this project is to expand applications of DEAD box RNA helicase for seed sterility and stress tolerance in rice. |
