Plant Cell Communication and Inositol Trisphosphates

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

All organisms require the ability to respond to their environment in order to adapt and survive. To accomplish the long-term objective of understanding the mechanisms by which plants sense and respond to the environment, a group of genes and enzymes from the model plant, Arabidopsis thaliana, will be examined. These genes are involved in regulating signal transduction in plants by functioning to break down the chemical messengers that are used during signaling. The spatial patterns of expression of these genes will be determined, as well as the location of the encoded enzymes within plant cells. A set of genetic mutants in these genes has been identified and will be examined for altered responses and for dynamic changes in signaling molecules. Lastly, protein complexes containing these enzymes will be isolated and characterized. Besides contributing to the general body of scientific knowledge, this work will integrate the research into activities involving secondary school students and their teachers, as well as undergraduate and graduate students. Secondary school students will be engaged via a unique program that utilizes plant mutants as a starting point for student-initiated experimentation at the high school level. The hosting of a high school teacher in the summer to perform research will enhance the communication between the secondary and college level activities.