Mark Manary, Ph.D., Chemical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Medicine at Washington University


Sona Pandey, Ph.D., Plant Cell Signaling, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India


Human Health Impact of Biofortifi ed Crops: My group is focused on quantitative determination of the human health impact of nutrient fortifi ed crops on malnourished populations, particularly in Africa. As a physician and researcher who has spent the better part of the last 26 years working in Africa, I am well versed in nutritional survey techniques and the introduction of improved foods. At present we are focused on cassava and peanut as target crops, both crops are being created at the Danforth Plant Science Center. Kenya, Uganda and Nigeria are target countries because of the high burden of malnutrition therein. The nutrients we focus on are protein, vitamin A, iron and folate. The techniques employed in the fi eld are dietary recall studies and the measurement of nutrient status through biochemical analyses of sampled body fl uids. My lab in St. Louis analyzes the nutrient content of plants and foods, as well as creates nutrient enhanced transgenic peanuts.


Understanding How Plants Perceive and Respond to Environmental Stresses:


Abscisic Acid (ABA) is a plant hormone that affects overall plant growth and development and regulates a plant’s ability to cope with different environmental stresses. ABA levels in plants rise signifi cantly in response to unfavorable conditions (such as drought), which serves as a trigger for or signal to plants to adapt to these altered environmental conditions. We study the perception and signaling mechanisms of ABA. We have recently identifi ed two ABA receptor proteins, named GTG1 and GTG2, which perceive ABA and then transfer this information via heterotrimeric G-proteins, a class of signaling proteins conserved from plants to humans. We are taking an interdisciplinary approach using tools from biochemistry, molecular biology, cell biology, genetics and proteomics to decipher the mechanism of action of GTG proteins and G proteins in plants. Additionally, given the involvement of heterotrimeric G-proteins in ABA signaling and regulation of plant plasticity, we are investigating the G-protein- mediated signaling pathways that regulate the growth and development of soybean. This research has recently been approved for three year funding by NIFA/USDA.


Updates from our Scientists 21


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