Project Number: 5366-21000-030-02
Project Type: Reimbursable

Start Date: Apr 01, 2011
End Date: Mar 31, 2014

Objective:
To enhance knowledge of the synthesis and role of diphospho- and tri-phospho inositol phosphates during plant and seed development.

Approach:
Diphospho- and triphospho-inositol phosphates will be characterized in plant and seed tissues during development and in response to abiotic stress. Genes and enzymes that are important to diphospho- and triphospho-inositol phosphate metabolism will be characterized. Work would primarily involve maize, barley and the model system Arabidopsis. Genomic and cDNA sequences encoding a target enzyme would be cloned and recombinant proteins would be expressed using a heterologous system like E. coli. The recombinant proteins would be used to characterize each enzymes’ biochemical properties. This includes substrate specificity and catalytic property/inhibitor-effector analyses. Mutations in selected genes will be isolated using the forward genetics approach called “TILLING”. Plant homozygous for mutations will be studied to determine the role and importance of genes.