THE AGRICULTURAL ISSUES. THE TOMATO IS A FOOD STAPLE THAT SUFFERS DIMINISHED AGRICULTURAL YIELDS DUE TO DESICCATION, THERMAL OR RADIATIVE EXPOSURE, AND MECHANICAL FAILURE DURING CULTIVATION AND POST-HARVEST PROCESSING. AS A TERRESTRIAL PLANT, THE TOMATO HAS EVOLVED THE CUTICLE -- A VERSATILE EXTRACELLULAR SURFACE COVERING COMPRISING A POLYESTER-POLYSACCHARIDE-WAX COMPOSITE - TO PROTECT ITSELF FROM THESE ENVIRONMENTAL INSULTS.THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACH. BY MARRYING 'REVERSE GENETICS' STRATEGIES THAT KNOCK OUT KEY STEPS IN THE BIOSYNTHESIS OF TOMATO FRUIT CUTIN POLYESTERS WITH BIOPHYSICAL MEASUREMENTS OF THE CONSEQUENT STRUCTURAL CHANGES AND PROTECTIVE FUNCTIONS, THIS PROJECT AIMS FOR A FOUNDATIONAL UNDERSTANDING OF FRUIT PROTECTION THAT WILL GUIDE PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR MITIGATING LOSSES IN MAJOR CROPS SUCH AS TOMATOES AND POTATOES.THE OBJECTIVES. THE GOALS ABOVE WILL BE SUPPORTED BY FOUR OBJECTIVES: (A) TO PRODUCE TOMATO FRUITS FOR WHICH SURGICAL GENE MODIFICATION WILL PROBE KEY STEPS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF THEIR PROTECTIVE CUTICLES; (B) TO EVALUATE AND UNDERSTAND HOW THESE GENETIC MODIFICATIONS IMPACT RESISTANCE TO WATER AND HEAT LOSSES; (C) TO TEST FOR ALTERATIONS IN MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF THE FRUIT CUTICLES; (D) TO UNCOVER THE CHANGES IN MOLECULAR ARCHITECTURE LINKED TO THESE GENETICALLY ENCODED DISRUPTIONS OF TOMATO FRUIT CUTICLE DEVELOPMENT. THIS PROJECT WILL BE CONDUCTED AT A MINORITY- AND HISPANIC-SERVING INSTITUTION, SUPPORTING ADDITIONAL OBJECTIVES TO TRAIN UNDERREPRESENTED PH.D. AND UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS AS WELL AS A POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER IN CROSS-DISCIPLINARY RESEARCH. THIS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT WILL ENCOMPASS THE HIGH-DEMAND SPECIALTIES OF BIOPHYSICS, PLANT BIOLOGY, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY WHILE ENRICHING THE TRAINEE EXPERIENCES THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH SEVERAL PROMINENT NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL SCIENTISTS.

Research Foundation Of The City University Of New York, New York NY

Investigators