We are also investigating the differentiation of chloroplasts and amyloplasts from proplastids and etioplasts during seed germination. Since chloroplasts are important to produce energy from photosynthesis, and because amyloplasts are critical for gravity sensing for proper orientation of plant organs, understanding these various processes will provide new insights into how various environmental sensory responses function and interact to coordinately regulate plant growth and development. We use the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana as our experimental system. Mutant strains are identified that have altered responses to various external stimuli, such as specific light conditions. Genetic and molecular approaches are used to identify and characterize the cause of the mutant phenotypes.
Positional cloning is used to isolate the genes for molecular analyses.
Comparative physiological studies of mutant and wild-type strains are also conducted to determine the functional role of the different processes during normal plant development in natural conditions. Parks BM, Quail PH and Hangarter RP 1996. Phytochrome A regulates the induction of phototropic enhancement in Arabidopsis thaliana. The Arabidopsis ELF3 gene regulates vegetative photomorphogenesis and the photoperiodic induction of flowering. Gravity, light and plant form.