Leaf development and cell specific differentiation in maize and rices and chloroplast protein homeostasis and proteolysis in Arabidopsis
CALS Impact Statement
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Overview
abstract
This project is a large scale effort to understand leaf development and cell differentiation in C3 and C4 species, including plastid function and proteolysis, taking advantage of modern genome information and cutting-edge proteomics and mass spectrometry technologies. A public database is developed with web-based access of data free to the public.
Comparing Leaf development in C3 and C4 plant species will identify regulatory networks and functions that determine and affects cellular differentiation. Plastids are organelles present in every plant cell. Therefore, understanding the components and their biogenesis and function of plastids is critical both in basic studies of plant growth and development, as well as in developing crop with improved yield and nutritional value. In addition, the project is concerned with plastid proteome homeostasis and cell specific plastid differentiation. The plastid proteomics database, holding all information generated in this project, is a powerful and unique resource for the scientific community to further establish the function of the plastid proteome, and for engineering of biosynthetic pathways in different crop species.
response
We have developed methodology to determine protein accumulation and differential expression in different types of plastid in maize (an important crop species) and in the model plant species, Arabidopsis thaliana. Implementation of these new methodologies has helped to identify hundreds of new plastid proteins, protein complexes in different plastid types and under different environmental conditions, as well as genetic backgrounds. All these data are being released via a public database, PPDB at http://ppdb.tc.cornell.edu/. This database is used by specialists in the area of plant organelles, as well as anyone interested in plants. This database is linked to other genomic type databases and as such will be impacting other activities in (plant) biology.
impact assessment
Our project has trigged many activities in studies of plastid biology and is accelerating research efforts in plant biology at a world-wide scale. This includes C3 and C4 species.
