COURSE SCHEDULE

DATE TOPIC

Aug. 30 Course introduction

Sept. 4-11 Life cycle of higher plants: fertilization to senescence

13* Plant cells and their growth. Role of wall enzymes in growth

18 Fueling growth; (i) Mineral nutrition

20, 25 Fueling growth; (ii) Photosynthesis

27 Food and water delivery systems; (i) Phloem

Oct 2 Delivery systems, cont. (ii) Xylem

4 Test

9 Growth regulation: Analysis tools [microarray, knockouts, genomics]

11, 16 Growth regulation by gravity

18 Growth regulation by light – phototropism

23, 25 Growth regulation by light, cont. - photomorphogenesis

30 to Growth regulation by hormones (i) auxin; (ii) gibberellic acid; (iii) abscisic

Nov. 8* acid; (iv) ethylene; (v) cytokinins; (vi) brassinosteroids

13 Test

15 Regulation of plant wound responses by systemin, jasmonic acid, volatiles, xATP

20 Regulation of plant responses to pathogens by salicylic acid, OGA

27 G-proteins & Inositol phospholipids in cellular signaling

29 Ca2+ and Ca2+-binding proteins in cellular signaling; Problem of specificity

Dec 4 Test

6 Biotechnology: Plants and the Profit motive

13 Final Exam (2 to 5 PM)

GRADING: The two highest test grades will be worth 30 pts. each; the lowest test grade will be

worth 10 pts; the Final Exam will be worth 30 pts of the final grade.

*Bonus Quizes on Sept. 13 and Nov. 8 (worth 2 points each toward the final grade)

TEXT: Biochemistry & Molecular Biology of Plants (Buchanan et al.) is recommended.

Reading Assignments will be handouts or review articles kept on reserve in the Life Sci. Library.