NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in FY 2008

Carr Tyrell, Ames IA

Investigators

Abstract

This action funds an NSF Minority Postdoctoral Research Fellowship for FY 2008. The fellowship supports a research and training plan in a host laboratory for the Fellow who also presents a plan to broaden participation in biology. The title of the research and training plan for this fellowship to Tyrell Carr is "Biochemical and genetic characterization of a regulator protein of sugar signaling in Arabidopsis." The host institution for this research is the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Alan M. Jones. Plants require sugar as an energy source and as a chemical messenger to regulate growth. How plants sense and use sugars is important to a better understanding of the basic biology of plants and may lead to improved crops. This research investigates an encoded regulator of a G-protein signaling protein that has been identified as a D-glucose sugar sensor and that mediates plant growth in the plant model system Arabidopsis thaliana. This protein is the first of its kind to function as a sugar sensor in growth regulation. Extensive biochemical and genetic studies are being employed to examine in detail how this protein senses D-glucose to regulate plant growth and other cellular processes. The training objectives for this research include techniques in biochemistry, cell biology and bioinformatics to better understand plant growth regulation in preparation for an independent research program. The broader impacts include increasing the number of minorities at the post-doctoral level and at the pre-doctoral level through innovative outreach programs. Results will impact basic as well as applied plant research, for example, increasing desirable traits and providing by-products for agriculture, energy applications, and industry.