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Project

Identificatie en karakterisering van kandidaat genen voor de verbetering van de abiotische stresstolerantie in planten

In this research project fundamental knowledge about drought stress response in model organisms including the protective role of trehalose is exploited to improve drought resistance in the economically important banana crop. Recently, a novel bifunctional trehalose biosynthesis gene wasidentified that encodes both enzymatic activities that are required fortrehalose synthesis. Transgenic homozygous Arabidopsis thaliana plants carrying this gene will be tested for drought resistance. Similar expression constructs for banana transformation containing different promoterswill be generated. The banana trehalose biosynthesis genes will be isolated and overexpression vectors carrying the full-length or truncated genes will be back-transformed to increase banana drought resistance. In addition, a screen for enhanced drought tolerance of baker#s yeast using a Selaginella lepidophylla cDNA library identified specific candidate genes for drought resistance engineering. These genes will be introduced in A. thaliana and banana. We will also use the moss Physcomitrella patens to identify as well as to validate genes that are important for drought stress tolerance. These genes will then also be introduced in banana. Finally, to identify drought stress related banana genes a comparison ofdrought susceptible and drought resistant banana varieties will be executed by next-generation massively parallel (454) cDNA sequencing. Genes that are clearly differentially expressed between the two banana groups will be cloned and used for overexpression in susceptible banana varieties to increase their drought resistance as well as in A. thaliana for faster analysis of their function.
Datum:1 feb 2009 →  12 sep 2014
Trefwoorden:Banana
Disciplines:Engineering van biomaterialen, Biologische systeemtechnologie, Biomateriaal engineering, Biomechanische ingenieurswetenschappen, Andere (bio)medische ingenieurswetenschappen, Milieu ingenieurswetenschappen en biotechnologie, Industriƫle biotechnologie, Andere biotechnologie, bio-en biosysteem ingenieurswetenschappen, Genetica, Systeembiologie, Moleculaire en celbiologie, Plantenbiologie
Project type:PhD project