Dr. David Braun
Professor of Biological Sciences & Plant Sciences
University of Missouri
April 3rd | 3:30-4:30 PM | PFEN 241
Co-Sponsored by the Purdue Center for Plant Biology
Genes controlling sucrose movement in plants
Bio: David Braun is a Professor of Plant Science and Technology, and of Biological Sciences at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He is also the Director of the Interdisciplinary Plant Group. Prior to MU, he was an Associate and Assistant Professor at Pennsylvania State University. He did his postdoctoral research at the University of California-Berkeley, his graduate training at the University of Missouri-Columbia, and his undergraduate studies at the University of California-San Diego.
Abstract: Carbohydrate partitioning is the process whereby photoassimilates are distributed from their site of synthesis in leaves to the rest of the plant. Control of carbohydrate partitioning is crucial for plant growth and development, and underlies all aspects of crop yield, including cellulose deposition in cell walls and sucrose accumulation in storage organs, such as the stems of sugarcane or sweet sorghum. For most plants, fixed carbon, in the form of sucrose, is loaded into the phloem and transported from leaves to non-photosynthetic tissues, such as stems, roots, and fruits. This process is well characterized at the physiological, biochemical, and anatomical levels. Yet despite the obvious importance of carbohydrate partitioning for plant growth and yield, we still know very little about how it is regulated at the molecular level. We are using a molecular genetic approach to characterize and clone genes that control sucrose movement, export, and distribution. The long-term goal of the Braun lab is to determine which genes regulate how and where carbon is allocated in plants. In this talk, I will describe our recent findings related to several genes controlling sucrose accumulation and distribution.