Plant Biochemistry
From Biosites.org
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Department of Plant Biochemistry Research at the Division of Plant Biochemistry involves membrane structure and function, hormone responses, cell-cell interactions, gene regulation, and synthesis and transport of secondary metabolites. This includes basic research on the plant plasma membrane, its transport capacities and its role in hormone responses and defence responses towards invading pathogens. It also includes research on membrane protein complexes involved in the bioenergetic reactions of photosynthesis and respiration. Plant Biochemistry The Plant Biochemistry Laboratory analyses developmental processes of plants and plant responses to adverse environmental conditions either of biotic origin (e.g., fungal interactions) or abiotic (e.g., drought, high temperature, mineral deficiency). The research is focused in two main areas: carbon metabolism and proteins. To study the changes in carbon metabolism the tissue extracts were analyzed by means of 13C-NMR so that the several compounds could be monitored. After adequate extraction from the tissues the proteins are separated by electrophoresis, either SDS-PAGE or 2D-E, and then it is attempted to identify them, making use of either immunoblotting, Edman sequencing or mass spectrometry. Virtual Laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Photobiology The laboratory of Plant Biochemistry and Photobiology (LPBP), ex-LPPBP, which was directed by C. A. Rebeiz, was a research unit of the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences(NRES) within the College of Agricultural Consumer and Environmental Sciences (ACES), University of Illinois, Urbana Campus. Durmishidze Institute of Plant Biochemistry Plant genome organization and function, detection of refined mechanisms of nitrogen metabolism in plants, secondary bioactive substances, biochemical mechanisms of environment purification from organic pollutants, obtaining of mutants, fusants and transformants having practical importance, from plants and microorganisms. ZMBP Department of Plant Biochemistry Researchers of the groups "Cellular Signalling" and "Peptide Receptors" investigate the recognition of pathogens and defence in plants. They are trying to understand the underlying molecular mechanisms. Receptors in the plant cell membranes recognize signal molecules send out by the microbial pathogen. Activated by this signal, the receptors induce a intracellular signal transduction chain resulting in the plant's defence response. This can be for example the production of anti-microbial phytoalexins. The isolation of genes encoding the receptors or other elements of the signal transduction chain will enable us to bread plants with higher resistances against pathogens using biotechnological methods. |
