PLB 589B – Seminar in Plant Biology, Molecular Physiology

Fall 2007

Moderator: Stephen Ebbs

The theme for this semester’s seminar is the broad topic of “legume biology”, with papers drawn from special focus collection in the journal Plant Physiology. Legumes continue to draw significant attention from researchers worldwide, due primarily to the important roles in modern plant biology and agriculture these plant fulfill. This special focus collection contains a wide variety of papers that touch on legume biology in some way. The subject matter read during the course of the seminar will be much broader than in the past, the idea is that this breadth will also enhance student appreciation for the subject and their general knowledge of subject matter and techniques in plant biology.

Seminar format

During each meeting of this informal seminar, a paper selected from the focus collection will be presented by a seminar participant. This presentation can be a formal Powerpoint presentation, but does not need to be. The room where the seminar will meet is equipped with a document camera, so this equipment can be used to display figures from the paper to facilitate discussion. The presentation will provide background on the study, followed by a summary of the methods used, the principal results, and finally the study’s conclusions. The presenter will then initiate and moderate the ensuing discussion. The presentation should be 20-30 min. in length, leaving a roughly equal amount of time for the discussion.

To facilitate the discussion, seminar participants other than the speaker have an assignment of their own. Once the paper for discussion is indicated, each participant should locate in the primary literature (i.e., peer-reviewed journals) a published paper on (or at least nearly) the same subject matter as the paper being presented. If assistance is required locating a second paper to read, participants should see Dr. Ebbs. By reading two papers, each participant is better prepared to discuss the subject matter, can make a greater contribution to that discussion, and gains a bit broader perspective on the subject. Since it is likely that each participant will select a different manuscript as their second paper, each discussion should proportionately enhanced.

Seminar schedule

The seminar will meet weekly (except for fall break) on Wednesday at 3 PM in Life Science II, Rm 450. Speakers can see Dr. Ebbs for assistance with access to the computer, projector, and document camera in that room before and on the day of the presentation. Presenters can provide their talks on CD or memory stick. The document camera accepts both transparencies and regular print materials (e.g., books, journals, pictures).

The schedule of seminars is as follows. These manuscripts can be downloaded if you are on campus at http://www.plantphysiol.org/cgi/collection/legume_biology. A list of manuscript that have already been chosen for presentations follows after the schedule.

DATE	SPEAKER	Paper for discussion
8/29	Stephen Ebbs	Involvement of a Soybean ATP-Binding Cassette-Type Transporter in the Secretion of Genistein, a Signal Flavonoid in Legume-Rhizobium Symbiosis
9/5	Andrew Wood	The Maize Zmsmu2 Gene Encodes a Putative RNA-Splicing Factor That Affects Protein Synthesis and RNA Processing during Endosperm Development
9/12	Karla Gage	Pea LATE BLOOMER1 Is a GIGANTEA Ortholog with Roles in Photoperiodic Flowering, Deetiolation, and Transcriptional Regulation of Circadian Clock Gene Homologs
9/19	Annie Peng	An IRE-Like AGC Kinase Gene, MtIRE, Has Unique Expression in the Invasion Zone of Developing Root Nodules in Medicago truncatula
9/26	Jared Urban	Medicago truncatula Root Nodule Proteome Analysis Reveals Differential Plant and Bacteroid Responses to Drought Stress
10/3	Aicha Sidibe	A Symbiotic Plant Peroxidase Involved in Bacterial Invasion of the Tropical Legume Sesbania rostrata
10/10	Gunjune Kim	Temporal and Spatial Expression of the Major Allergens in Developing and Germinating Peanut Seed
10/17	Marylou Machingura	Evidence for the Key Role of Arginine in Nitrogen Translocation by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi
10/24	Aldwin Anterola	Flavone Synthases from Medicago truncatula Are Flavanone-2-Hydroxylases and Are Important for Nodulation
10/31	John Yuan	TILLING Mutants of Lotus japonicus Reveal That Nitrogen Assimilation and Fixation Can Occur in the Absence of Nodule-Enhanced Sucrose Synthase
11/7	Matt Geisler	Molecular Evolution of Lysin Motif-Type Receptor-Like Kinases in Plants
11/14
11/21	- None -	FALL BREAK
11/28
12/5

Comments and questions related to research information:
Department of Plant Biology e-mail: plant-biology@plant.siu.edu
Comments and questions related to web server: webmaster@science.siu.edu

SIUC / Plant Biology / Faculty/ Stephen Ebbs
URL: http://www.science.siu.edu/plant-biology/faculty/ebbs/PLB589b.html
Last updated: 18-Sep-07 / sde