17th Annual Student Research Conference
Science
Photosynthetic Pigment Levels in Cell Death Mutants
Kristen A. Haley
Dr. Diane Janick-Buckner, Faculty Mentor
The sorghum drop dead 1 (dd1) and camouflage 1 (cf1) mutants demonstrate programmed cell death (PCD) in their leaves at inappropriate times. Dd1 plants show death initiating at their leaf tips, while cf1 mutants display yellow-green stripes wherein cells have died. Prior studies indicate a possible defect in the photosynthetic apparatus of these plants. We examined levels of photosynthetic pigments in both the yellow-green and green areas of cf1 leaves, as well as in the dd1 mutant leaves. Pigment levels were compared to those in wild-type siblings. The photosynthetic pigment levels in yellow-green regions of cf1 leaves were signifcantly reduced, but the green areas differed little from the wild-type leaves. The levels of photosynthetic pigments in leaves of dd1 mutants were not significantly different from wild-type siblings. Currently, we are analyzing the expression of light harvesting complex proteins, which bind photosynthetic pigments, via western blot and immunodetection techniques.
Keywords: cell death, sorghum, dropdead 1, camouflage 1, photosynthesis, pigments, cholorphyll, carotenoids
Topic(s):Biology
Presentation Type: Poster
Session: 26-40
Location: OP Lobby & Atrium
Time: 1:15