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Young Scientists
- Dr. Alison Roberts, University of Rhode Island
- Mr. Burge, Biology
- Mr. Smith, Chemistry
- Mr. Fox, Geology
- Mr. Dukes, Physics
Young Scientists Dr. Alison Roberts, University of Rhode Island - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Young Scientists Dr. Alison Roberts, University of Rhode Island - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Young Scientists Dr. Alison Roberts, University of Rhode Island November 18, 2015 Newport Harbor High School 1972-1976 Mr. Burge, Biology Mr. Smith, Chemistry Mr. Dukes, Physics Mr. Fox, Geology Environmental Education Grand Canyon rafting
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Trans-Sierra backpack, Sophomore year Grand Canyon rafting trip, Senior year Yosemite Institute, Junior year
Environmental Education
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First Research Project
Typed on a typewriter Hand-drawn graphs
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University of California, Davis Bachelors in Botany and Geology, 1980 Masters in Botany, 1983
First scientific paper, 1984 Major Professor, Dr. William Lucas
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Texas Tech University Ph.D. in Biological Sciences, 1990
Major Professor, Dr. Candace Haigler
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University of Rhode Island Professor, 1991-present
- Teach:
– Introductory biology – Plant anatomy, plant physiology, plant diversity – Microscopy
- Research on plant cell walls
– Cell biology – Development – Evolution
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Students
Christos Dimos Mike Budziszek Ken Uhnak Shannon Donovan John Bushoven Ash Haeger Alex Frost Chuck Audette Xingxing Li Sankug Lee Tess Duggan Mai Tran Ben Knight Virginia Lai Liz Berry Chessa Goss Derek Brockmann Alissa Neill
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International Conferences
Botany, Germany, 1987 Botany, Austria, 2005
International Congresses International Cell Wall Meetings
Denmark, 2007 Australia, 2014 France, 2013 Portugal, 2010
International Moss Meetings
Germany, 2004 Czech Republic, 2005 Cell Biology, Canada, 1988
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Plant Cell Walls
- Give plant cells shape and structure
- Important commercial products
Wood Textiles Paper Dietary fiber Biofuels
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Polysaccharides
- Major building blocks of cell walls
- Sugars linked together (polymers)
- Cellulose—4-linked glucose
- MLG (mixed linkage glucan)—3- and 4-linked glucose
4 3
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Cell wall evolution
Vascular tissue, lignified secondary cell wall Rosette cellulose synthesis complexes
Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Physcomitrella patens Selaginella moellendorffii Oryza sativa Arabidopsis thaliana Populus trichocarpa
Sequenced genomes
Picea glauca
CSLB/E/G/H/J clade
Klebsormidium flaccidum
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Physcomitrella patens
- Moss
- No vascular tissue
- Sequenced genome
- Easy to alter genes
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Moss, MLG & and a mystery enzyme
- Unexpectedly, mosses appeared to have MLG
- Mosses have a “mystery” gene similar to
cellulose synthase
- Does the mystery gene encode the MLG
synthase?
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Sabbatical at University of Adelaide
- Injected “mystery” gene into tobacco
- Tested tobacco leaves for MLG
World experts on MLG!
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MLG cutting enzyme:
A A A
Arabinoglucan (AG) Mystery gene is AG synthase (AGS)
NOT MLG
MLG
CONTROL
Fragment analysis
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What other plants have AG?
- This is where you and the plants you just
collected come in!
– How do the plants fit into the tree of life? (Phylogenetic analysis) – Do they have AGS genes? (PCR and DNA sequencing) – Do they have AG? (extract and analyze cell wall polysaccharides)
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