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Genetics and Genomics Commons

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Full-Text Articles in Genetics and Genomics

Origin Of Gene Specificity In The Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiosis, Christina Marie Stonoha-Arther Jul 2020

Origin Of Gene Specificity In The Nitrogen-Fixing Symbiosis, Christina Marie Stonoha-Arther

Doctoral Dissertations

Many legumes form a symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria found in the soil. This relationship is beneficial to both the plant and the bacteria; the plant receives nitrogen that is otherwise limited, and the bacteria receive fixed carbon. Upon sensing the bacteria, the plant forms a new organ (the nodule) where the bacteria are housed within the cells. Many genes are required for the proper formation and function of nodules; this dissertation is broadly focused on how genes required for nitrogen-fixing symbiosis are co-opted from other cellular processes and how they are specialized for symbiosis. Protein trafficking from the plant to …


Investigating The Transcriptional Regulation Of Secondary Cell Wall Synthesis And Thigmomorphogenesis In The Model Grass Brachypodium Distachyon, Joshua Coomey May 2020

Investigating The Transcriptional Regulation Of Secondary Cell Wall Synthesis And Thigmomorphogenesis In The Model Grass Brachypodium Distachyon, Joshua Coomey

Doctoral Dissertations

A key aspect of plant growth is the synthesis and deposition of cell walls. In specific tissues and cell types including xylem and fiber, a thick secondary wall composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin is deposited. Secondary cell walls provide a physical barrier that protects plants from pathogens, promotes tolerance to abiotic stresses, and fortifies cells to withstand the forces associated with water transport and the physical weight of plant structures. Grasses have numerous cell wall features that are distinct from eudicots and other plants. Study of the model species Brachypodium distachyon has helped us begin to understand the internal …