McNair Scholars Undergraduate Research Journal, 2011, Vol. 3

Permanent URI for this collectionhttp://hdl.handle.net/1903/12449

Browse

Filters

20112

Settings

Subject: search.filters.subject.Genetics

Search Results

Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Understanding the Abscisic Acid Pathway Using Guard Cell Specific Genes and the Anti-Aging Drug Spermidine
    (2011) Pearson, Deryck; Kwak, June M.; Villiers, Florent; Jammes, Fabien
    Plants must respond to environmental stress including drought and harsh winters. Overcoming these stresses depend heavily on timing of stomatal closure and seed germination. My research focused on both chemical and genetic aspects involved in the abscisic acid pathway that controls both stomatal closures in leaves and seed germination in Arabidopsis thaliana. My first study focused on recognizing specific proteins involved in the abscisic acid pathway for stomatal guard cell closure. Given specific promoters for their respective proteins, it is possible to determine whether or not proteins are guard cell specific. GatewayTM technology utilizes a series of reactions to create a clone containing a promoter of interest called an expression vector. By injecting this vector directly into the leaf of Arabidopsis, the plant will use the promoter to create the guard cell specific protein. The second study examined the effect of the anti-aging drug Spermidine on seed sensitivity to abscisic acid concentration during seed germination. By varying the concentration of Spermidine and abscisic acid exposure to seeds then observing the number of surviving seeds, the effects of Spermidine on seed germination can be measured. Spermidine is expected to reduce seed sensitivity to abscisic acid leading to increased seed germination.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Exploring the Genetic Basis of Root Mucilage in Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.)
    (2011) Massimino, Christopher; Muchero, Wellington; Roberts, Philip; Ehlers, Jeffrey; Close, Timothy
    Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is a member of the legume family, Fabaceae. Cowpea varieties are vital agricultural crops in arid and semi-arid environments in Africa, Asia, India, and Central America. Cowpea sold in the United States is commonly known as black eyed peas. Breeding for specific cowpea varieties depends on environmental conditions where phenotypic traits may relate to drought tolerance, and resistance to fungal and bacterial pathogens, aphids, nematodes, viruses, and many others. The agricultural production of a variety with desirable traits is an important economic consideration that ultimately determines yield and quality of a harvest. The objectives of this study include phenotyping diverse germplasm for the mucilage trait, testing one or more candidate genes for polymorphisms, and the chemical quantitation and characterization of root mucilage. Phenotypes of several hundred cowpea germplasm accessions were compared to their existing SNP haplotypes spanning the region of interest to categorize haplotypes containing different alleles for the root mucilage trait. The gene sequences of different alleles for two candidate genes were determined for comparison between lines. Root mucilage will evenutally be analyzed for protein and carbohydrate content and specifically for arabinogalactans and proteins (Moody et al. 1988).