Regulation of Isoprenoid Biosynthesis in Higher Plants
{'Code': '08070400', 'Directorate': {'Abbreviation': 'BIO', 'LongName': 'Direct For Biological Sciences'}, 'Division': {'Abbreviation': 'MCB', 'LongName': 'Div Of Molecular and Cellular Bioscience'}}
{'SignBlockName': 'Kamal Shukla', 'PO_EMAI': None, 'PO_PHON': None}
The general objective of this research is to develop an                         understanding of the mechanisms of regulation of the                            biosynthesis of diterpenoid substances of physiological                         importance in the life of the plant.  The first experimental                    target is kaurene synthetase, a key regulatory enzyme in the                    biosynthetic pathway leading to the gibberellin family of                       plant hormones.  A new approach to assessing the levels of                      this activity is being attempted.  Components of the kaurene                    synthetase complex will be purified to homogenity, antibodies                   prepared and cDNA clones isolated.  These tools will then be                    utilized to measure the levels of translatable and total                        hybridizable kaurene synthetase mRNAs in plant organs, and their                changes under different physiological circumstances.  The                       biosynthetic pathways involved in diterpenoid phytoalexin                       biosynthesis in rice (Oryza sativa) is a second area of                         interest.  The biochemical characteristics of these biosynthetic                pathways will be further defined.  The nature of elicitor                       molecules that initiate diterpenoid phytoalexin biosynthesis will               be investigated.  And the role of transcriptional regulation in                 the expression of the enzymes involved in cyclization of                        diterpene hydrocarbon intermediates will be investigated.                       These results will contribute to our knowledge of the manner                    in which plants respond to environmental and biological                         stresses.%%%                                                                                                                                                    Cyclic diterpenoid metabolites are often characterized as                       secondary metabolites.  Such substances appear to serve the                     organism that produces them in specialized regulatory roles                     that enable the organism to adapt to environmental changes                      and biological stresses associated with encroachments by                        pathogens, predators and competitors.  Consistent with this                     view, many cyclic diterpenoid compounds isolated from higher                    plants have been shown to be physiologically active.  The                       diterpenoid substances whose metabolism is being considered                     in this research are examples.  ent-Kaurene is the cyclic                       diterpene precursor of the gibberellin family of natural plant                  growth regulators, while casbene, the momilactones and the                      oryzalexins are phytoalexins that are thought to be important                   in the host plant's resistance to microbial pathogens.***//
{'FirstName': 'Charles', 'LastName': 'West', 'PI_MID_INIT': 'A', 'PI_SUFX_NAME': None, 'PI_FULL_NAME': 'Charles A West', 'EmailAddress': None, 'NSF_ID': '000292689', 'StartDate': '08/01/1988', 'EndDate': None, 'RoleCode': 'Principal Investigator'}
{'Name': 'University of California-Los Angeles', 'CityName': 'LOS ANGELES', 'ZipCode': '900244200', 'PhoneNumber': '3107940102', 'StreetAddress': '10889 WILSHIRE BLVD STE 700', 'StreetAddress2': None, 'CountryName': 'United States', 'StateName': 'California', 'StateCode': 'CA', 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': '36', 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_ORG': 'CA36', 'ORG_UEI_NUM': 'RN64EPNH8JC6', 'ORG_LGL_BUS_NAME': 'UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES', 'ORG_PRNT_UEI_NUM': None}
{'Name': None, 'CityName': None, 'StateCode': None, 'ZipCode': None, 'StreetAddress': None, 'CountryCode': None, 'CountryName': None, 'StateName': None, 'CountryFlag': None, 'CONGRESSDISTRICT': None, 'CONGRESS_DISTRICT_PERF': '""'}
{'Code': '1144', 'Text': 'Molecular Biophysics'}
{'url': 'https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/download?DownloadFileName=1988&All=true', 'xml': '8804727.xml'}