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Blancaflor: Home
Cellular Imaging Facility
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Cellular mechanisms underlying plant gravity responses:
One research goal in our lab is to understand the cellular and molecular
mechanisms underlying gravitropism in higher plants. The directional growth
and subsequent developmental patterns that a plant organ exhibits in response
to gravity allows for correct anchorage, nutrient and water acquisition,
seedling emergence, and light absorption for photosynthesis. Despite the
critical role of gravity on plant survival, the basic mechanisms underlying
gravity's effects remain unresolved. Roots have been the focus of our
research on gravitropism because they offer the unique advantage in that
the site of gravity perception and the site of the response occur in defined,
spatially distinct regions. Therefore, the phenomenon of gravitropism
not only allows us to learn more about plant sensory mechanisms and cell
growth but also allows us to gain insights into plant signaling and long
distance transport.
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Lipid dependent regulation of plant development:
We are investigating the role of a group of lipid mediators called N-acylethanolamines
(NAEs) in plant growth and development. NAE is well characterized in animal
systems as part of the endocannabinoid signaling pathway. Although NAEs
are endogenous metabolites in plants, little is known about their function
in plant physiology. We are working with the laboratory of Dr. Kent Chapman
at the University of North Texas on several aspects related to this project.
For instance, the dramatic morphological defects induced by NAEs on Arabidopsis
roots have allowed us to design strategies toward understanding the cellular
and molecular basis of NAE action in plants.

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Fluorescent protein sensors for in vivo plant cell imaging:
To support the research goals of the lab, we have been implementing the
use of green fluorescent protein (GFP) and its variants to observe cytoskeletal/organelle
dynamics and for monitoring ion and hormone levels in living plant cells.

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Collaborative
research:
Our group has also entered into a number of collaborative projects with
other principal investigators at the Foundation. For example, we are working
with the group of
Dr. Richard Dixon to study metabolic channeling in the phenylpropanoid
pathway. Our group is involved in these studies by applying quantitative
fluorescence microscopy techniques such as FRET (Fluorescence resonance
energy transfer) and colocalization to study protein-protein interactions. |
We
also work closely with Dr.
Rujin Chen who is interested in the mechanisms of polar auxin transport
in plants. Since auxin regulates a variety of developmental processes
in plants including gravitropism we are collaborating with the Chen group
in characterizing how the cytoskeleton modulates auxin transport during
plant responses to gravity.
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Outside collaborations:
Our group also collaborates with the lab of Dr.
Maria Harrison at the Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Cornell University. For our
joint project, we are using cellular and molecular approaches to gain
insight into how the cytoskeleton mediates the development of arbuscular
mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis in roots of the model legume Medicago truncatula. We are also involved in collaborative work with Dr. Jeanmarie Verchot-Lubicz at the Oklahoma State University and Dr. Richard S. Nelson on the mechanisms of virus cell-to cell movement in plants. We are particularly interested in the role of the cytoskeleton and the endomembrane system in movement of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and Potato virus X (PVX).
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