Location: Agricultural Genetic Resources Preservation Research
Project Number: 3012-21000-017-001-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 1, 2019
End Date: Jul 31, 2024
Objective:
1. Develop quantitative tools that enable direct and universal measurement of permeating and non-permeating cryoprotectants in plant cells and shoot tips.
2. Discover fundamental structural and temporal characteristics associated with permeating and non-permeating cryoprotecting agents that lead to effective plant cryopreservation.
Approach:
Research will be performed using state-of-the-art vibrational microscopy to determine how and why plant cryoprotectant formulations, e.g., PVS2, PVS3, PGD are effective or why they fail. A wide range of basic spectroscopy, such as one- and two-dimensional NMR, infrared (IR) and Raman spectroscopy, as well as fluorescence spectroscopy and assays, will be used to explore interactions between the chemical components in these formulations to measure how each component interacts with the others. These studies will suggest how to improve formulation performance. Ultimately, the techniques will show the location and translocation of plant cryoprotectants as they interact with plant cells and shoot tips, which will also reveal information critical to understanding cryotherapy.
