1 MCDB 141 Molecular Basis of Plant Development and Differentiation Spring, 2006 Lectures: Monday and Wednesday, 11:00 - 12:15, Botany 325 Prerequisites: LS3 and LS4 or equivalent. Instructor: Professor Elaine Tobin LSB 3313A Office Hours: Wednesdays, 3:00-4:00 or by appointment Email: [email protected] Tel: 825-7700 Teaching Assistant: Steve Knowles (LSB 3206) Office hours: by appointment Email: [email protected] Tel: 825-0130 Discussion Sections: MS 5225 Attendance at and participation in the discussion section is required and is an integral component of the course. During the discussion sections, students will discuss and critically analyze the assigned scientific research papers which will be available on the website. You need to come prepared. There will be a short assignment about the assigned research paper to be turned in at the beginning of each section. There is no textbook for this course. Reading material and copies of the research papers for discussion in section will be made available on the course web site: http://www.lsic.ucla.edu/classes/spring06/ Grading: Term Paper: 10% A term paper critically analyzing a research article is due in your section on June 9. Further information about this assignment will be distributed in section. Discussion Section: 15% Midterm: 30% Final exam: June 15, 11:30 A.M. (Cumulative): 45% Please note: The exams will include material covered only in the discussion sections and the reading material from the web site as well as lecture material.2 MCDB 141 Molecular Basis of Plant Development and Differentiation Spring, 2005 Date Lecture Topic April 3 1 Introduction and overview of plant development; plant cells and differentiation; plant life cycles April 5 2 Review of gene regulation and methods to study it for understanding plant development April 7 Section 1: Organization; introduction to reading research papers April 10 3 Plant transformation: the Ti plasmid of Agrobacterium tumifaciens; introduction to plant hormones and their roles in development April 12 4 Auxin and growth; phototropism and geotropism April 14 Section 2: Using computers: searching for articles; analyzing sequence data Meet in Young Hall Science Learning Center Room 4335 April 17 5 How plant cells enlarge—cell walls and auxin action April 19 6 Roles of auxin in development April 21 Section 3 Wang et al. (2005) The tomato Aux/IAA transcription factor IAA9 is involved in fruit development and leaf morphogenesis. Plant Cell 17: 2676-2692. April 24 7 Seedling growth: introduction to the roles of light and photoreceptors; the development of chloroplasts and photosynthesis April 26 8 Guest Lecturer: Dr. Richard Sayre, Ohio State University Development of the photosynthetic apparatus April 28 Section 4: Klimmek et al. (2006) Abundantly and rarely expressed Lhc protein genes exhibit distinct regulation patterns in plants. Plant Physiol. 140: 793-804. May 1 9 The phytochrome family of photoreceptors: discovery, spectral properties, physiological effects May 3 10 Phytochrome and other photoreceptors in development May 5 Section 5: Hiltbrunner et al. (2005) Nuclear accumulation of the phytochrome A photoreceptor requires FHY1. Current Biol. 15: 2125-2130. May 8 MIDTERM3 Date Lecture Topic May 10 11 Guest Lecturer: Dr. Zhiyong Wang, Carnegie Institution and Stanford U., Roles of brassinosteroids in development May 12 Section 6: He et al. (2005) BZR1 is a transcriptional repressor with dual roles in brassinosteroid homeostasis and growth responses. Science 307: 1634-1638. (+ supporting on line material) May 15 12 Seed development and storage proteins, a role for abscisic acid May 17 13 Seed germination and early seedling growth, role of gibberellins May 19 Section 7: Cao et al. (2005) Loss of function of four DELLA genes leads to light-and gibberellin-independent seed germination in Arabidopsis. Planta 223: 105-113. PLUS deadline for submiting plan (a complete copy of article selected) for approval for your term paper (this can be done earlier if you would like). May 22 14 Floral development and hormonal regulation of flowering May 24 15 Environmental and genetic controls of flowering May 26 Section 8: Ayre and Turgeon (2004) Graft transmission of a floral stimulant derived from CONSTANS. Plant Physiol. 135: 2271-2278. May 29 MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY May 31 16 Circadian rhythms in plants and their importance for flowering June 2 Section 9: Hazen et al. (2005) LUX ARRYTHMO encodes a Myb domain protein essential for circadian rhythms. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 102: 10387-10392. June 5 17 Self-incompatibility in plant reproduction June 7 18 Plants and human health; tour of the Botanical Garden June 9 Section 10: Review for final and TURN IN TERM PAPER Final Examination June 15, 11:30