Transgenic Maize Lines with Cell-Type Specific Expression of Fluorescent Proteins in Plastids

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Transgenic Maize Lines with Cell-Type Specific Expression of Fluorescent Proteins in Plastids University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Agronomy & Horticulture -- Faculty Publications Agronomy and Horticulture Department 2010 Transgenic maize lines with cell-type specific expression of fluorescent proteins in plastids Amir Sattarzadeh Cornell University, Ithaca Jonathan Fuller Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research Salvador Moguel University of Nebraska-Lincoln & Union College, Lincoln Katia Wostrikoff Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research & IBPC Shirley Sato University of Nebraska-Lincoln See next page for additional authors Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/agronomyfacpub Part of the Agricultural Science Commons, Agriculture Commons, Agronomy and Crop Sciences Commons, Botany Commons, Horticulture Commons, Other Plant Sciences Commons, and the Plant Biology Commons Sattarzadeh, Amir; Fuller, Jonathan; Moguel, Salvador; Wostrikoff, Katia; Sato, Shirley; Covshoff, Sarah; Clemente, Tom; Hanson, Maureen; and Stern, David, "Transgenic maize lines with cell-type specific expression of fluorescent proteins in plastids" (2010). Agronomy & Horticulture -- Faculty Publications. 1372. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/agronomyfacpub/1372 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Agronomy and Horticulture Department at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Agronomy & Horticulture -- Faculty Publications by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Authors Amir Sattarzadeh, Jonathan Fuller, Salvador Moguel, Katia Wostrikoff, Shirley Sato, Sarah Covshoff, Tom Clemente, Maureen Hanson, and David Stern This article is available at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/ agronomyfacpub/1372 Plant Biotechnology Journal (2010) 8, pp. 112–125 doi: 10.1111/j.1467-7652.2009.00463.x Transgenic maize lines with cell-type specific expression of fluorescent proteins in plastids Amir Sattarzadeh1, Jonathan Fuller2, Salvador Moguel3,†, Katia Wostrikoff2,‡,ShirleySato3, Sarah Covshoff2,§, Tom Clemente3, Maureen Hanson1 and David B. Stern2,* 1Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA 2Boyce Thompson Institute for Plant Research, Tower Rd., Ithaca, NY, USA 3Department of Agronomy & Horticulture, Center for Biotechnology, Center for Plant Science Innovation, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, USA Received 4 April 2009; Summary revised 9 September 2009; Plastid number and morphology vary dramatically between cell types and at accepted 12 September 2009. different developmental stages. Furthermore, in C4 plants such as maize, *Correspondence (Tel 254 1306; fax 607 254 6779; e-mail [email protected]) chloroplast ultrastructure and biochemical functions are specialized in mesophyll †Present address: Division of Science & and bundle sheath cells, which differentiate acropetally from the proplastid form Mathematics, Union College, Lincoln, NE, USA. in the leaf base. To develop visible markers for maize plastids, we have created a ‡Present address: IBPC, 13 rue Pierre et series of stable transgenics expressing fluorescent proteins fused to either the Marie Curie, Paris, France. maize ubiquitin promoter, the mesophyll-specific phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase §Present address: Department of Plant Sciences, University of Cambridge, (PepC) promoter, or the bundle sheath-specific Rubisco small subunit 1 (RbcS) Cambridge, United Kingdom. promoter. Multiple independent events were examined and revealed that maize Accession numbers: GQ221700 (mzYFP), GQ221701 (mzGFP), GQ221702 (mzBFP). codon-optimized versions of YFP and GFP were particularly well expressed, and that expression was stably inherited. Plants carrying PepC promoter constructs exhibit YFP expression in mesophyll plastids and the RbcS promoter mediated expression in bundle sheath plastids. The PepC and RbcS promoter fusions also proved useful for identifying plastids in organs such as epidermis, silks, roots and Keywords: fluorescent protein, trichomes. These tools will inform future plastid-related studies of wild-type and transgenic, chloroplast, bundle mutant maize plants and provide material from which different plastid types may sheath, mesophyll. be isolated. et al., 1999). Despite these advances, the signals that Introduction regulate cell type specification and plastid morphology are Maize has a long history as a model for plastid biology still poorly understood. and is of particular importance as a platform for studying A valuable tool for investigating organelle number and the biochemistry and developmental biology of C4 photo- morphology is labelling with fluorescent proteins (FPs). synthesis. The successive maturation of chloroplasts from Among numerous applications have been studies of mito- proplastids from leaf base to tip was described nearly chondrial division in yeast (e.g. Tieu et al., 2002), observa- 35 years ago (Leech et al., 1973) and the dimorphism, or tions of plastids and plastid tubules (stromules) in higher Kranz anatomy of maize leaf chloroplasts in mesophyll vs. plants (Ko¨ hler et al., 1997a; Ko¨ hler and Hanson, 2000; bundle sheath cells was noted several years later (Miranda Kwok and Hanson, 2004; Hanson and Sattarzadeh, 2008), et al., 1981). The maize plastid gene expression apparatus and identification of mitochondria and mitochondrial (Maier et al., 1995) and proteome (Majeran et al., 2005) mutants in higher plants (Ko¨ hler et al., 1997b; Logan have also been scrutinized. Two mutants specifically defec- et al., 2003). In the case of plastids, the fluorescent tag tive in bundle sheath differentiation have been isolated has been expressed in the nucleus fused to a transit pep- (Langdale and Kidner, 1994; Roth et al., 1996) and later tide (Ko¨ hler et al., 1997b; Primavesi et al., 2008), fused to studied at the molecular level (Hall et al., 1998; Brutnell the entire coding region of lipoxygenase 10 (Mohanty ª 2009 The Authors 112 Journal compilation ª 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd Fluorescent proteins in maize plastids 113 et al., 2009), or expressed within the organelle following Table 2 Maize transformation summary* insertion of a cassette into the chloroplast genome (Shiina Plasmid et al., 2000; Reed et al., 2001). name Transit sequence from Cassette† Events‡ We commenced a project to test different fluorescent tags for labelling of maize plastids in stable transformants pPTN343 Maize cpRNA polymerase 35S ⁄ TP-GFP 7 pPTN372 Maize cpRNA polymerase OsActin ⁄ TP-GFP 14 and also to develop lines that labelled specifically either pPTN442 Pea Rubisco SS PepC ⁄ TP-GFP 5 bundle sheath or mesophyll chloroplasts. Three new maize pPTN448 Pea Rubisco SS UBi1 ⁄ TP-mzBFP 12 codon-optimized fluorescent protein coding regions were pPTN458 Pea Rubisco SS Ubi1 ⁄ TP-mzGFP 16 produced. We find that the promoter from a Rubisco small pPTN469 Pea Rubisco SS Ubi1 ⁄ TP-mzYFP 18 subunit-encoding gene can drive bundle sheath- pPTN512 Pea Rubisco SS PEPC ⁄ TP-mzYFP 7 pPTN533 Pea Rubisco SS RbcS1 ⁄ PsTP-mzYFP 21 specific expression and the PepC promoter results in expres- pPTN629 Maize Rubisco SS RbcS1 ⁄ ZmTP-mzYFP 7 sion in mesophyll cells. We were also able to visualize plast- ids in many organs. These transgenic lines should be useful *Cassettes in bold are those for which experimental data are presented to maize researchers studying various aspects of plastid here. †35S; CaMV 35S promoter; TP, chloroplast transit peptide; OsActin, rice development and should faciliate fluorescence-activated cell actin promoter; SS, small subunit; GFP, human codon-optimized GFP; mzFP sorting of bundle sheath and mesophyll plastids. coding regions, maize codon-optimized FPs as in Table 1. ‡Independent T0 events analysed by microscopy for fluorescent protein expression. Results Table 2 shows the series of chimeric genes used for sta- Development of transformation cassettes ble transformation of the maize recipient genotype Hi II. Our initial expression cassettes were constructed with the Our aim was to develop a cassette driving ubiquitous human codon-optimized green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression of a chloroplast-targeted GFP on one hand, that was shown to be effective for transient expression in and tissue-specific cassettes driving mesophyll or bundle maize protoplasts (Chiu et al., 1996). Subsequently, coding sheath chloroplast expression on the other hand. To deter- regions for three different variants of GFP were synthesized, mine the best promoter for strong general expression, we using preferred maize codons and incorporating appropri- tested the CaMV 35S and rice actin (Cao et al., 1992) pro- ate mutations with respect to the original jellyfish GFP moters, reasoning that the 35S promoter is widely used sequence. All three variants carry the Q80R mutation origi- for high expression and is known to function in trans- nally incorporated into most GFPs by accident, plus addi- formed maize callus (Fromm et al., 1986) and regenerated tional mutations known to enhance solubility or to cause plants (Gordon-Kamm et al., 1990). Although heterolo- spectral shifts to yellow or blue (Cormack et al., 1996; gous, the rice actin promoter was also initially tested, as it Crameri et al., 1996; Davis and Vierstra, 1998; Wachter is reputed to be stronger than the 35S promoter in mono- et al., 1998). The predicted protein sequences of mzGFP cot transformation (discussed in Prakash et al., 2008). We (mz; modified zea) and mzBFP are identical to smGFP and
Recommended publications
  • All in the Family: Is ME/CFS Inherited?
    SPRING 2018 All in the Family: Is ME/CFS Inherited? The quest to understand We’ve long understood that physical cost. A task that was science fiction characteristics are be inherited and just a few short years ago. In the genetics and inherited that these same genes also contrib- near future, gene editing will allow traits is possibly one ute to our overall health and well- us to correct ‘faulty’ genes associ- ness. This includes the development ated with a range of human genetic of the oldest and most and progression of various diseases. disorders. exciting scientific Today, we know that genetic muta- tions can cause complex diseases, When discussing a complex disease endeavors. It is also a from diabetes to cancer, and that like ME/CFS, particularly a sensi- subject within ME/CFS genetic ‘predisposition’ can be a risk tive topic like inherited traits, it factor that shapes our health. helps to be mindful of at least three that remains poorly broad categories: classical genetics, understood. Our understanding of genetics has epigenetics, and pathogenic-host grown substantially. We can now interactions. » to page 4 Since people with ME/CFS can be read, map, interpret, and modify found within the same family more the building blocks that make up often than random association our DNA. Scientific advances now INSIDE would dictate, is there a possible allow us to identify genetic irregu- 2 SMCI This Quarter: A Summary of genetic component to ME/CFS? larities quickly and for a reasonable Our Work 5 SMCI Welcomes Two New Members to Its Board of Directors 6 What’s in a Definition? Finding a Common Language for ME/CFS 8 PEM: It’s Time to Retire the Term 9 Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • Dr. Maureen Hanson: from Plant Biology to ME/CFS Champion (Cont’D)
    RESEARCH SOLVE ME/CFS INITIATIVE RESEARCH ADVISORY COUNCIL Anthony Komaroff, MD Dr. Maureen Hanson: Harvard Medical School From Plant Biology to Maureen Hanson, PhD ME/CFS Champion Cornell University Susan Levine, MD DR. MAUREEN HANSON is the Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor in the Depart- Medical Offce of Susan M. Levine, MD ment of Molecular Biology & Genetics at Cornell University and a member of the Solve ME/CFS Initiative (SMCI) Research Advisory Council (RAC). Notably, she is directing a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded myalgic enceph- Jose Montoya, MD Stanford University alomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) Collaborative Research Center Medical Center recently established at Cornell following a competitive grant process. Over the next fve years, the Center will work on three parimary research projects and Peter Rowe, MD work cooperatively with a network of three other ME/CFS centers. We recently Johns Hopkins sat down to speak with Dr. Hanson about her work. Sheila Stewart, PhD If you had a magic wand, what are the top three barriers you would Washington University School remove frst in order to accelerate the discovery process or improve of Medicine the lives of patients? Tarek Absi, MD Despite recent increases in funds for ME/CFS at NIH, an important barrier is Vanderbilt University Medical the relatively modest amount of NIH support devoted to grant proposals to Center study ME/CFS. The funding rates of investigator-initiated proposals at most NIH Institutes is less than 20%. If proposals to study HIV and AIDS had been Daan Archer, MBA, MSc Massachussetts Institute of this low during the AIDS epidemic, many more years would have been need- Technology Media Lab ed to develop life-saving drugs.
    [Show full text]
  • PLENARY SPEAKERS for PLANT CANADA 2019 ALL PLENARY TALKS WILL BE in ROZANSKI HALL Room 104
    PLANT CANADA 2019 Time Monday July 8th Tuesday July 9th Wednesday July 10th Place Room: Rozanski 104 Room: Rozanski 104 Room: Rozanski 104 8-8:30 Coffee-break (concourse) Coffee-break (concourse) Coffee-break (concourse) Session Plant Biotechnology Agronomy Managing Plant Disease in Horticulture Chairs Dr. Rima Menassa & Dr. Helen Booker Dr. Lone Buchwaldt & Dr. Abdelali Hannoufa Dr. Valerie Gravel 8:30am Dr. Maureen Hanson Dr. D. Brian Fowler Dr. Mary Ruth McDonald Cornell University, NY University of Saskatchewan, SK University of Guelph, ON Improving photosynthesis in Winter wheat production in the Billions, trillions and C3 plants high winter stress climate of quadrillions: The challenge of western Canada managing clubroot on canola – An experiment in crop adaptation and vegetables 9:20am Dr. Bing Yang Dr. Clarence J Swanton Dr. Richard Bélanger University of Missouri, MO University of Guelph, ON Université Laval, Québec, QC Genome editing enables Plant competition and the A unique interaction with a disease resistance in rice physiology of fear biocontrol agent alters the parasitic activity of powdery mildews on plants 10:10am Dr. Leslie Sieburth Dr. Jaswinder Singh Dr. Diane G.O. Saunders University of Utah, UT McGill University, QC John Innes Centre, UK CSPB C.D. Nelson Award Address: Beyond transcription factors: New paradigms in the genetic The wheat-rust conflict: Shifty A degrading story of gene regulation of pre- and post- harvest enemies and the long reach of expression control grain germination in cereals genomics 11:00am Lunch at Creelman Hall Lunch at Creelman Hall Lunch at Creelman Hall Session Root evolution, Development and Function Chairs Dr.
    [Show full text]
  • In-Depth Analysis of the Plasma Proteome in ME/CFS Exposes Disrupted Ephrin-Eph and Immune System Signaling
    proteomes Article In-Depth Analysis of the Plasma Proteome in ME/CFS Exposes Disrupted Ephrin-Eph and Immune System Signaling Arnaud Germain , Susan M. Levine and Maureen R. Hanson * Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; [email protected] (A.G.); [email protected] (S.M.L.) * Correspondence: [email protected]; Tel.: +1-607-254-4833 Abstract: Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) is a disabling disease with worldwide prevalence and limited therapies exclusively aimed at treating symptoms. To gain insights into the molecular disruptions in ME/CFS, we utilized an aptamer-based technology that quantified 4790 unique human proteins, allowing us to obtain the largest proteomics dataset yet available for this disease, detecting highly abundant proteins as well as rare proteins over a nine- log dynamic range. We report a pilot study of 20 ME/CFS patients and 20 controls, all females. Significant differences in the levels of 19 proteins between cohorts implicate pathways related to the extracellular matrix, the immune system and cell–cell communication. Outputs of pathway and cluster analyses robustly highlight the ephrin pathway, which is involved in cell–cell signaling and regulation of an expansive variety of biological processes, including axon guidance, angiogenesis, epithelial cell migration, and immune response. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analyses distinguish the plasma proteomes of ME/CFS patients from controls with a high degree of accuracy (Area Under the Curve (AUC) > 0.85), and even higher when using protein ratios (AUC up to 0.95), that include some protein pairs with established biological relevance.
    [Show full text]
  • The Many Legacies of ASPB by SALLY MACKENZIE University of Nebraska–Lincoln
    May/June 2017 • Volume 44, Number 3 p. 4 p. 14 p. 21 ASPB Announces Jenna Gallegos ASPB Welcomes 2017 Award Awarded ASPB/AAAS Winnie Nham as Winners Mass Media New Education Fellowship Coordinator THE NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLANT BIOLOGISTS President’s Letter The Many Legacies of ASPB BY SALLY MACKENZIE University of Nebraska–Lincoln FEBRUARY 14–17, 2018 t ASPB, so much has If ASPB is to continue its FEBRUARY 14–17, 2018 TUCSON,TUCSON, AZ AZ changed over the leadership role in plant biology, past few years. Our additional financial resources HILTON EL CONQUISTADOR RESORT A HILT ON EL CONQUISTADOR RESORT flagship journals are now will be needed to sustain these online-only and offer open activities. Library subscriptions access options; we welcome continue to be the largest reve- the initiation of our new jour- nue source for ASPB. But pres- nal, Plant Direct; and ASPB sure from governments around is set to better interconnect the world to implement open its members with the larger access publication of publicly plant science community funded research, coupled with by way of the Plantae digital declining congressional support ecosystem. The Society stands Sally Mackenzie for basic research and state behind a new annual meeting support for public universities, in phenomics, and it is playing a growing role has influenced those revenues, compelling in helping support meetings for a number the Society to seek other ways to ensure it of plant science groups. ASPB has recently remains fiscally sound. Consequently, ASPB expanded its outreach activities to represent is creating a mix of revenue sources that will and inform plant scientists, sponsoring the allow it to continue its many good works.
    [Show full text]
  • Researchers Engineer Plants for Far Higher Photosynthesis Efficiency
    A genetically engineered tobacco plant developed by U.S. and U.K. scientists using genes from blue-green algae could lead the way to improving yields of major global crops by up to 60%. The research was aimed at speeding up the process of photosynthesis, whereby plants convert sunlight, water and carbon dioxide into oxygen and sugar. Rubisco is the enzyme in plants responsible for fixing carbon into molecules that form the building blocks of plants, but it is considered to be extremely inefficient as it often reacts with oxygen instead of CO2 - one of the reasons why it is likely the most abundant protein on the planet. What the scientists did was borrow a faster Rubisco enzyme from blue-green algae, or cyanobacterium, and put it into a tobacco plant. Tobacco plants are considered to be a common model organism for genetic engineering research. Teams led by Cornell University plant geneticist Maureen Hanson in the U.S. and Rothamsted Research plant physiologist Martin Parry in the U.K, worked in equal measure on the research, using Cornell's expertise in genetic engineering and Rothamsted's expertise in enzyme biochemistry. The researchers transferred the cyanobacterium Rubisco into chloroplasts of the tobacco plant. In some of the plants the researchers also added a bacterial protein that was thought to help Rubisco fold properly, while in others they added a bacterial protein that structurally supported Rubisco. Both lines of tobacco were able to use the Rubisco for photosynthesis, and both reacted with carbon dioxide and created new molecules faster than normal tobacco.
    [Show full text]
  • Hacked Photosynthesis Could Boost Crop Yields Algal Enzyme Can Speed up Rate at Which Plants Make Food
    NATURE | NEWS Hacked photosynthesis could boost crop yields Algal enzyme can speed up rate at which plants make food. Heidi Ledford 17 September 2014 chain45154/Moment/Getty Rice is one of the crops that could increase their yields by converting solar energy more efficiently. It is difficult to find fault with a process that can create food from sunlight, water and air, but for many plants, there is room for improvement. Researchers have taken an important step towards enhancing photosynthesis by engineering plants with enzymes from blue-green algae that speed up the process of converting carbon dioxide into sugars. The results, published today in Nature1, surmount a daunting hurdle on the path to boosting plant yields — a goal that is taking on increasing importance as the world’s population grows. “With the limited ability to increase land use for agriculture, there’s a huge interest in trying to improve yield across all the major crops,” says Steven Gutteridge, a research fellow at chemical firm DuPont’s crop-protection division in Newark, Delaware. Researchers have long wanted to increase yields by targeting Rubisco, the enzyme responsible for converting carbon dioxide into sugar. Rubisco is possibly the most abundant protein on Earth, and can account for up to half of all the soluble protein found in a leaf. But one reason for its abundance is its inefficiency: plants produce so much Rubisco in part to compensate for its slow catalysis. Some have estimated that tinkering with Rubisco and ways to boost the concentration of carbon dioxide around it could generate up to a 60% increase2 in the yields of crops such as rice and wheat.
    [Show full text]
  • MBG Fall 2019- Spring 2020 Seminar Series Listing
    MBG Fall 2019 Seminar Series 4pm/G-10 Biotechnology Building 08.23 Jay Hirsch: Professor of Biology, Director of Undergraduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Virginia Title: Dopamine dependent regulatory responses in flies and mice Host: Eric Alani and Mariana Wolfner Website: http://bio.as.virginia.edu/people/ih6u 08.30 Lan Huang: Professor, Department of Physiology & Biophysics, UC Irvine Title: “Cross-linking Mass Spectrometry for Defining Protein Interactions and Structures” Host: Haiyuan Yu Website: https://webfiles.uci.edu/lanhuang/www/ 09.06 Philippe Soriano: Professor, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Title: Untangling signaling specificity in development, one phosphate at a time Host: Marcos Simoes-Costa Website: https://www.mountsinai.org/profiles/philippe-m-soriano 09.20 Yuxin Mao: Associate Professor, Molecular Biology & Genetics, Cornell University Title: “Ubiquitin hijacking in bacterial pathogen-host interactions” Website: https://mbg.cornell.edu/people/yuxin-mao/ 09.27 Klaas Van Wijk: Professor in the Section of Plant Biology, School for Integrative Plant Science, Cornell University Title: Chloroplast Proteostasis and the Clp protease system Host: Maureen Hanson Website: https://plantbio.cals.cornell.edu/people/klaas-van-wijk/ 10.04 Eva Nogales: Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator; a Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology at the University of California, Berkeley; and Senior Faculty Scientist at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory Title: “Visualization of key protein complexes in
    [Show full text]
  • Optimizing the Expression of Bacterial Cellulases in Chloroplast Transgenic Plants Dr
    Optimizing the Expression of Bacterial Cellulases in Chloroplast Transgenic Plants Dr. Maureen Hanson, Liberty Hyde Bailey Professor, Department of Molecular Biology Genetics, Cornell University ABSTRACT Enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass to fermentable sugars is a key step in the sustainable production of cellulosic ethanol. Efficient methods for enzyme synthesis are necessary to reduce the cost of bioethanol. Biosynthesis of biomass-degrading enzymes by feedstock plants could be part of an effective strategy for generation of bioenergy from lignocellulosic materials. Because high levels of various therapeutic proteins have been obtained through transformation of the chloroplast genome, we investigated what features of chloroplast transgenes are important for transgenic synthesis of cellulose- converting enzymes encoded by genes from the thermophilic bacterium Thermobifida fusca. We placed coding regions for an endoglucanase and beta-glucosidase under the control of a phage 5’ untranslated region, the plastid 16S rRNA promoter, and a plastid terminator, and introduced constructs into the tobacco chloroplast genome by particle bombardment. Sequences were fused at the 5’ end of the coding regions to express proteins carrying different 14 amino acid N-terminal fusions. In transgenic plants, the most effective transgenes resulted in plants that accumulated the enzymes to as much as 10-12% of total leaf soluble protein (TSP), while less than 0.3% TSP was obtained from leaves of plants carrying the least effective transgenes. Enzyme accumulation was stable during plant development. Endoglucanase could be purified on cellulose affinity columns and enzyme activity correlated well with protein quantification by immunoblot. The chloroplast-expressed β-glucosidase was active against cellobiose. This study demonstrates the feasibility of high-level chloroplast-based synthesis of biomass-degrading enzymes.
    [Show full text]
  • A Difficult Decision
    July/August 2021 • Volume 48, Number 4 p. 5 p. 6 p. 9 Yunde Zhao to Plant Synthetic Plant Scientists Become the Next Biology 2021 Elected to the 2021 Editor-in-Chief Class of the U.S. of Plant Physiology® September 25–27 National Academy of Sciences THE NEWSLETTER OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF PLANT BIOLOGISTS President’s Letter 2021 ASPB Election Results A Difficult Decision any thanks to those members who BY MAUREEN McCANN took the time to vote earlier this ASPB President, National Renewable Energy Laboratory Msummer, and hearty congratula- tions to our newly elected Board members! Their new service roles for ASPB will begin on October 1, 2021, and you can look for more major focus of ballots are certified and information about them in the next issue of ASPB is science applies limits on access the ASPB News. Apolicy and how it to voting that have been impacts research funding, widely interpreted to target the pipeline of talent into marginalized communi- our labs, and regulatory ties, most recently by the practices. In the United U.S. Department of Justice. States, our Science Policy The passing of this law Committee engages on our was a challenge for ASPB. behalf with federal fund- After staff members and ing agencies and legislators the Program Committee from both parties to raise visited the city in early awareness of, and advocate March 2020, the ASPB for, the critical importance Board of Directors (BoD) of plant biology. ASPB does voted to approve the Incoming President-elect Gustavo MacIntosh not and cannot engage in partisan politics.
    [Show full text]
  • 2Nd International Conference on Plant Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering, and Biotechnology
    2nd International Conference on Plant Synthetic Biology, Bioengineering, and Biotechnology NOVEMBER 29 DECEMBER 1, 2018 HYATT REGENCY CLEARWATER BEACH RESORT AND SPA, CLEARWATER, FL Organized by the Society for Biological Engineering SPECIAL THANKS TO THIS YEAR’S SPONSORS GOLD SILVER BRONZE TABLE OF CONTENTS Welcome Address ........................................................................................... 2 Conference Organizers .................................................................................. 3 Technical Program ........................................................................................... 4 Poster Titles ...................................................................................................... 7 Keynote and Invited Speakers Biographies ................................................ 8 Oral Abstracts ................................................................................................12 Poster Abstracts .............................................................................................24 Code of Conduct ...........................................................................................28 TIPS FOR A SUCCESSFUL MEETING Say hello to everyone. You might make someone’s day. Introduce yourself to people you don’t know. They may be your next good friends. Stop and smile. You will brighten the room considerably. Be understanding. Everybody makes mistakes. Help those with less experience. We were all novices at some point. Respect others. We all have something valuable
    [Show full text]
  • SMCI THIS QUARTER: a Summary of Our Work in Research, Advocacy and Beyond
    NEWS AND UPDATES SMCI THIS QUARTER: A Summary of Our Work in Research, Advocacy and Beyond RESEARCH: Engaging the entire ME/CFS community and accelerating the discovery of safe and effective treatments. • Three SMCI-funded researchers presented at the Second Annual Commu- nity Symposium on the Molecular Basis of ME/CFS at Stanford University, SMCI-directed Projects partner, Dr. Maureen Hanson (Cornell University, SMCI Research Advisory Council (RAC) member), and two Ramsay Award Program Researchers, Dr. Jarred Younger (University of Alabama at Bir- mingham, Ramsay 2016) and Dr. Jonas Bergquist (Uppsala University, Ramsay 2017). • SMCI’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Sadie Whittaker, attended the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Roundtable on Medical Education and ME/CFS in Atlanta, GA. • Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health’s Center for Infection & Immunity was funded by SMCI to complete a study aiming to build on re- cent metabolomics analysis. We provided $50,000 to continue this compre- SMCI Director of Advocacy and Community Relations Emily Taylor and hensive deep-dive, uncovering evidence for a biomarker signature for ME/ Director of Research Programs Allison CFS. Research results are anticipated in late 2019. Ramiller at Genetic Alliance’s “People • SMCI funded an extension of the 2016 Ramsay Class project led by Dr. Ger- Driven” conference aldine (Jo) Cambridge (University College London). To build on promising results that have been accepted for publication in Frontiers in Immunology. SOLVE ME/CFS INITIATIVE • Dr. Lubov Nathanson, funded by SMCI’s Ramsay program, is leading a proj- PROFESSIONAL STAFF ect to look at epigenetic changes in specific immune cell subtypes.
    [Show full text]