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Title: The analysis Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing a 14kDa self-folding protein [abstract]

Author
item FANOUS, AARON - Rice University
item Nakata, Paul

Submitted to: Undergraduate Research Symposium
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/10/2017
Publication Date: 4/21/2017
Citation: Fanous, A., Nakata, P.A. 2017. The analysis Arabidopsis thaliana overexpressing a 14kDa self-folding protein [abstract]. Undergraduate Research Symposium. p. 6.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: A recent study in banana identified a 14kDa protein that has been hypothesized to function in regulating the nucleation and growth of the needle-shaped crystals of calcium oxalate that accumulate within the tissues of this plant. To gain further insight in to the functional role of this 14 kDa protein in regulating crystal nucleation and growth we expressed this protein in Arabidopsis thaliana plants that have been engineered to form crystals of calcium oxalate within the vacuoles of its cells. In this study we examine tissue oxalate concentrations, 14 kDa gene expression, plant growth, and calcium oxalate crystal phenotypes. The results obtained suggest a correlation between the expression of this self-folding 14kDa protein and a reduction in total oxalate concentrations and stunted growth phenotype. Further analysis of plants expressing a 14kD-GFP fusion protein will allow us to assess where within the cell the 14 kDa resides. Such information will aid in further defining the relationship between this 14kDa protein and calcium oxalate crystal formation.