Characterization of the endoplasmic reticulum morphogenic mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana, GFP-CXN

Characterization of the endoplasmic reticulum morphogenic mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana, GFP-CXN

Life Sciences

Two lines of Arabidopsis thaliana are studied in Dr Breeze’s lab. One is GFP-HDEL which is a control line of Arabidopsis, whilst the other is GFP-CXN a genetically modified line that overexpresses a domain of chaperone protein called calnexin in its endoplasmic reticulum (ER). This causes GFP-CXN to have a highly interconnected network of flattened, membrane-enclosed sacs in its ER known as cisternae. The cisternae have a crucial role in the modification of proteins.
It has been suggested in previous studies that whilst challenging the lines with the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae DC3000 the GFP-CXN line has been less susceptible to infection than the control potentially due to the ER’s highly cisternal morphology. However, to support this hypothesis further characterization of GFP-CXN is required.• The aim of my project was to further characterize the GFP-CXN line by investigating chloroplast efficiency/function during infection by measuring Fv/Fm, image ER morphology in a confocal microscope, compare bacterial susceptibility by completing a bacterial growth assay and investigate physiology by measuring and comparing root
elongation rate with the control.

Alexander Gale

2022