Understanding how plant proteins work together during cell division
Cell division is essential for the growth and development of all life, including plants. During plant development, proteins must communicate with one another to ensure that cells divide at the correct time and in the correct orientation. In corn, many proteins required for asymmetric cell division have been identified, but how these proteins function to regulate this process remains poorly understood. This project will investigate whether the cell division pathway discovered in corn is conserved in the model plant Arabidopsis. Identifying conserved protein interactions will improve our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that control plant development and may reveal signaling pathways that are shared across diverse plant species.
We are especially interested in students who will stay on with us in future semesters. Initially, you will work with a graduate student, but as your skills develop a more independent project (including thesis projects) are possible but not required.
