PCMB 694
Group Studies: Organelle Biogenesis
This course aims to offer a comparative overview of mitochondria and plastids
two related organelles devoted to the conversion of energy with very distinct
biologies. Beside the textbook function of ATP production, the course will
also explore other aspects of mitochondria and chloroplast biologies such
as organelle division and inheritance and inter and intra-organellar communication.
A substantial part of the course will also be devoted to the dysfunction
of organelles and their repercussions in human health and plant science.
Recently discovered mitochondria- and plastid-derived organelle such as
the hydrogenosome and apicoplast will also be the topic of this course.
A substantial part of the lecture will be based on novel development in
the field of organelle biogenesis and will make extensive use of recent
publications. The goals of the course will be for the students to 1) analyze
and discuss published findings on the biogenesis of mitochondria and plastids
(similarities and differences between the two organelles) and 2) develop
verbal, presentation and critical analysis skills through the careful review
of research papers published in the field of organelle biogenesis.
Revised:
11-sep-08
PCMB NEWS
Work Study Position Available in PCMB
8-20 hrs/week; $7.26-8.25/hour.
Contact
Dr. Rebecca Lamb.
Position Information [pdf}
A MDA (Muscular Dystrophy Association) sponsored post-doctoral position is available in the Department of Plant Cellular and Molecular Biology/Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry at Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, starting on August 1st 2008.
The researcher will work in the field of mitochondria biogenesis and study the assembly process of c-type cytochromes, a class of hemoproteins with covalent attachment of the heme co-factor to a CXXCH motif on the apocytochrome. Cytochromes c are versatile molecules that function in electron transfer reactions but also in signaling the death pathways. Their assembly process is not understood and in humans mutations in the only known cytochrome c assembly factor cause a neurodevelopmental disease with cardiomyopathic manifestations.
The future hire will use yeast as an experimental system and focus on 1)
elucidating the biochemical activity of Cyc2p a novel mitochondrial flavoprotein that controls a yet-to-be-defined redox step in the heme attachment reaction to apocytochrome and 2) identifying additional mammalian cytochrome-c assembly factors. Because we suspect a role of
Cyc2p in thiol-based chemistry, the researcher will also take part in on-going genetic experiments to 3) further dissect the pathway(s) that operate in intermembrane thiol-based redox chemistry. Thiol-based chemistry in the
mitochondrial intermembrane space is a recent and novel development in the field since the discovery of catalysts that promote disulfide bond formation. Molecular genetics and biochemical approaches will be used to answer the scientific questions we are interested in. Interested candidates
should send a cover letter, resume, and a list of three referees to Dr. Patrice Hamel at hamel.16@osu.edu. Use Post-doctoral Position in the subject line. For additional information, see also Dr. Hamel's Web Site.
Erich Grotewold Receives Grant from US-Israeli Binational Agricultural
Research and Development Fund
We are pleased to announce that Erich Grotewold has been awarded another new grant.
This is a 3-year award from the US-Israeli Binational Agricultural
Research and Development Fund. It is in the amount of $137,000 and is
entitled "Regulation of tomato fruit development by interacting MYB proteins."
Erich Grotewold Receives DOE And NSF Grants
Erich Grotewold has been awarded 3-year grant in the amount o $449,390 from the DOE, entitled "Engineering phenolic metabolism in the grasses using transcription factors."
Erich has also been awarded a second, major grant from NSF (Plant Genome). It is a 3-year award in the amount of $2,479,632 entitled "The Grass Regulome Initiative: Integrating control of gene expression and agronomic traits across the grasses.
David Somers' Lab Published In Nature
David Somers’ group has published an article in Nature (Sept. 20)
entitled, “ZEITLUPE is a circadian photoreceptor stabilized by GIGANTEA
in blue light.” Woe-Yeon Kim and Sumire Fujiwara are co-first authors.
Erich Grotewold Awarded USDA Grant
Erich Grotewold has been awarded a grant from the USDA in the amount of $201,025 for a two-year study entitled, “Transposons as gene control elements.”
Rebecca Lamb Receives OPBC Award
Rebecca Lamb has received an award of $57,567 over two years from the OPBC for a study entitled, ”Two Arabidopsis WWE-PARP proteins involved in abiotic stress response and development.”
Plant Biotechnology In-Floor Seminar Series Schedule
Follow the link below for a schedule of informal 30-40 min seminars that
will take place at noon on Fridays in room 189 of Rightmire Hall.
Schedule
[pdf]
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