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Ethylene Hormone Signaling in Arabidopsis thaliana
Arabidopsis has five related ethylene receptor genes in two subfamilies: ETR1 and ERS1 (subfamily 1) and ETR2 , EIN4 and ERS2 (subfamily 2). All encode homologs of the two-component histidine protein kinase family widely known in prokaryotes. Two-component histidine kinases perceive environ Our lab is one of a dozen research labs working with Arabidopsis at the University of Maryland at College Park (or nearby at University of Maryland at Baltimore County and Howard University). These labs comprise the Arabidopsis thaliana Research Initiative at the University of Maryland (ATRIUM). ATRIUM holds a monthly lab meeting as well as an annual Minisympoisum on Plant Biology for the mid-Atlantic region. Our lab also participates in a monthly lab meeting devoted to Genetics with Eukaryotic Model Systems (GEMS).
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News
Apply to the Graduate Program: BISI Graduate Studies in Plant Biology Dr. Chang has been promoted to Full Professor, effective August 23, 2011. Graduate student Jennifer Shemansky is awarded an NIH training grant fellowship for 2011-2012. Esther Lee is graduated with Honors. John Clay receives outstanding TA award. New Papers: Dong C.-H., et al. (2010) Molecular association of the Arabidopsis ethylene receptor ETR1 and a regulator of ethylene signaling, RTE1. J Biol Chem. 2010 Dec 24;285(52):40706-13. Epub 2010 Oct 15. [Full Text] Chen R., Binder B., Garrett W.M., Tucker M.L., Cooper B., and Chang C. Proteomic responses in Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings treated with ethylene, submitted. Irene Ying is now the maintainer of this webspace. Please send all notifications of broken links or misinformation to the email linked above. |
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The ability to respond to a vast array of external and internal cues such as light, gravity, and hormones is vital to the growth, development, and survival of plants. The mechanisms by which plants perceive these signals and convert the information into physiological changes are only beginning to be understood. We are focusing on signal transduction of the plant hormone ethylene (C2H4), a simple gas that has profound effects on plant growth and development. Our research utilizes a combination of molecular biology, genetics and cell biology in order to understand the molecular mechanisms of ethylene signaling. Our model system is the small flowering plant 
mental stimuli and regulate responses through specialized phosphotransfer reactions. ETR1 was the first example of a two-compon
ent homolog among higher eukaryotes. Acting downstream of the receptors is a Raf-like serine/threonine protein kinase, CTR1, thought to act in a mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase cascade as in animals. Interestingly, the known signaling pathways leading to the activation of Raf in animals start with transmembrane tyrosine kinase receptors, whereas the ethylene response pathway in plants seem to regulate a Raf protein kinase in a new way, namely by a two-component-like receptors, which are primarily found in prokaryotes.
