Date of Award

4-2002

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Biological Sciences

First Advisor

Dr. Alexander Enyedi

Second Advisor

Dr. Silvia Rossbach

Third Advisor

Dr. Susan Stapleton

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Inoculation of Arabidopsis thaliana with Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 AvrB (Pst) results in a series of biochemical changes, including an oxidative burst, accumulation of salicylic acid, (de)phosphorylation of proteins, localization of transcription factors to the nucleus and ultimately expression of pathogenesis-related genes. The redox status within plant cells, which is maintained by a cycle of antioxidants that are largely dependent on the reduced form of glutathione (GSH), because of its ability to donate electrons that are necessary to quench reactive oxygen species (ROS). This study focuses on the role of glutathione in the early defense responses of Arabidopsis to Pst. It is hypothesized that (1) a decrease in the overall [GSH] or (2) an increase in [GSSG] (a decrease in the [GSH]:[GSSG]), will affect salicylic acid accumulation and pathogenesis-related gene expression in Arabidopsis tissue inoculated with Pst.

Included in

Biology Commons

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