Download L41 Biol 4023 01

Bio 4023 How Plants Work: Physiology, Growth and Metabolism
MWF 1:00-2:00 pm; Location: Life Sciences 118 (& LS310 on Fridays). 3 credits
Instructors:
Dr. Barbara Kunkel (Course Master); Monsanto Lab 319; 935-7284; [email protected]
Dr. Tom Brutnell, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; [email protected]
Dr. Jan Jaworksi, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; [email protected]
Dr. Toni Kutchan; Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; [email protected]
Dr. Sona Pandey; Donald Danforth Plant Science Center; [email protected]
Teaching Assistant: Elizabeth Danka, Graduate student, Molecular Cell Biology Program, DBBS;
[email protected]
Office Hours:
B. Kunkel: Mondays 3:00 – 4:00 pm, or by appointment; Office: Monsanto 319
Elizabeth Danka: by appointment
Course description
This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of how plants grow, metabolize
and respond to their environment. Topics to be covered will include the conversion of light energy into
chemical energy through photosynthesis; source-sink relationships, long-distance transport of carbon
and carbon storage; water uptake and transport; physiological responses to a changing environment
and the roles of hormone signaling & physiology in regulating these responses, plant-specific
metabolic pathways that include targets of herbicides, sources of chemicals for medicinal uses and
potential biofuels. The course will consist of lectures and small group discussions of primary
research articles.
Prerequisites: Bio 2970: Principles of Biology II, Chem 252: Organic Chemistry II; graduate
standing, or permission of the instructors.
Course requirements, grading and absence policies
Students are expected to carefully read assigned readings, including text book chapters, review
articles and primary research papers, before class and come prepared to critically discuss these
readings.
Student performance in the class will be determined as follows:
 Participation in literature discussions (15 %)
 Students will be required to write several short critiques (1-2 pages) evaluating original
research articles discussed in class (20%)
 In-class quizzes (~ 5 over the course of the semester; (25%)
 Group presentation on Challenges in Plant Biology in the 21st Century at end of semester
(15%)
 A final exam (25%)
If you are ill and need to miss a discussion session, you will be asked to turn in an expanded critique
(4-5 pages) for that week’s assigned reading.
Reading
We will rely mainly on primary literature and scientific review articles in this course. Links to the
articles will be available on the course web site. Some readings will also come from an excellent
textbook, “Plant Physiology”, by Taiz and Zeiger, 5th Edition; Published by Sinauer Associates Inc.
This is a highly recommended text book, especially for those of you who will continue to take courses
or work in areas related to plant biology. A copy of the book is on reserve in Olin library.
A suggested supplemental text, which students who are serious about plant biology (e.g. graduate
students) should acquire is: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Plants, by Buchanan, Gruissem
and Jones. A copy of this text will also be placed on reserve in the Biology library.
Course website: The website for the course is available on Blackboard (https://bb.wustl.edu).
BIOLOGY 4023: HOW PLANTS WORK: PHYSIOLOGY, GROWTH AND METABOLISM
FALL 2013
Professors: Barbara Kunkel, Tom Brutnell, Sona Pandey, Jan Jaworski, and Toni Kutchan
Teaching Assistant: Elizabeth Danka
MWF 1:00-2:00 pm; Location: Life Sciences 118 (& LS310 on Fridays)
Quiz dates (Q)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
Day
W
Date
Aug. 28
Topic
Lecturer
Reading
Course overview. Plant structure &
Kunkel
T&Z Ch. 1
function; A (midsummer) day in the life of a
plant
F
Aug. 30
First Discussion: Analysis of data figures
Discussion
M
Sep. 2
LABOR DAY
Part I: Carbon fixation, allocation & storage
W
Sep. 4
Photosynthesis I: Chloroplasts, light
Kunkel
T&Z Ch. 7
harvesting pigments
F
Sep. 6
Paper Discussion: Chemiosmotic theory
Discussion
M
Sep. 9
Photosynthesis II: Light reactions
Brutnell
T&Z Ch. 7
W
Sep. 11
Photosynthesis III: Carbon fixation
Brutnell
T&Z Ch. 8
F
Sep. 13
Paper Discussion: Photosynthesis
Discussion TBA
M
Sep. 16 (Q) Photosynthesis IV: C4 and CAM plants
Kunkel
T&Z Ch. 8
W
Sep. 18
Use, storage and transport of fixed carbon.
Kunkel
T&Z Ch. 10
F
Sep. 20
Source/sink relationships, energy
Discussion
partitioning
M
Sep. 23
"Fatty acid and lipid metabolism
Jaworski
W
Sep. 25
"Fatty acid and lipid metabolism
Jaworski
F
Sep. 27
"Fatty acid and lipid metabolism or paper
Jaworski/
discussion.
Discussion
Part II: Water Relations
M
Sep. 30 (Q) Water I: Water potential, turgor pressure
Kunkel
W
Oct. 2
Water II: Water uptake, transport,
Kunkel
transpiration
F
Oct. 4
Paper Discussion: Water and solute
Discussion
transport, or water and cell expansion
M
Oct. 7
Water III: Regulation of guard cells (intro to Pandey
ABA and water stress)
W
Oct. 9
ABA synthesis and signaling (water stress)
Pandey
F
Oct. 11
ABA signaling, stomatal behavior, or
Pandey
paper Discussion
Part III: Growth, Development & Response to the Environment (Hormones & signaling)
M
Oct. 14 (Q)
Overview of Plant Life cycle: Seed
Kunkel
development, Carbon (Lipid) storage,
W
Oct. 16
A year in the life of a plant: dealing with the
Kunkel
seasons, senescence & dormancy
F
Oct. 18
FALL BREAK
M
Oct. 21
Plant cell wall: structure, function, synthesis Kunkel
W
Oct. 23
Tropisms (light, gravity). Introduct. to auxin
Kunkel
F
Oct. 25
Auxin transport- Paper discussion
Discussion
M26 Oct. 28 (Q)
Auxin signaling as paradigm for protein
Kunkel or
26
27
W2726Oct. 30
Day Date
F
Nov. 1
28
29
30
31
M
W
F
M
Nov. 4
Nov. 6
Nov. 8
Nov. 11 (Q)
32
W
Nov. 13
33
F
Nov. 15
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
degradation in hormone signaling
Abiotic stress: Drought, ozone, climate
Topic
Abiotic stress:
Developmental response to water stress:
Communication with environment
Communication with environment
Paper discussion: Communication
Biotic stress I: Defense against herbivores,
JA synthesis and signaling
Biotic Stress II: Pathogens & basal
defense, intro to Resistance Genes
Biotic Stress III: gene for gene resistance
Pandey
Kunkel
Lecturer
Discussion
Reading
Kutchan
Kutchan
Discussion
Kunkel
Kunkel
Discussion
Part IV: Plant Biology in the 21st Century: Climate Change, Feeding the world, Energy, Soil
and Water quality
M
Nov. 18 Bioethanol
Kunkel
W
Nov. 20 Impact of pant lipids on biofuels and
Jaworski
biomaterials.
F
Nov. 22 Global change: increasing CO2, temperatures
Group Discussion/ Debate: Is
there climate change ?
Kunkel
M
Nov. 25 Overview of future challenges for plant
Students will
biologists, agriculture, society
select problem*
to research,
work in groups
to come up with
possible
solutions
W
Nov. 27 THANKSGIVING BREAK
F
Nov. 29 THANKSGIVING BREAK
M
Dec. 2
Group work on developing solutions
W
Dec. 4
Student presentations
F
Dec. 6
Student presentations
Dec. 17
Final exam: 1:00- 3:00 pm
(Exam Group XXIII)
Student Projects:
What can plant biologists due to help address
these emerging problems?
 Feeding a growing population: increasing
yield
 Mitigating climate change, developing plants
that can tolerate higher [CO2], higher temps
 Plants that can tolerate drought/salt stress
 Choosing the best plants for developing
nations
 Increased disease or pest tolerance
 Increasing productivity while minimizing
inputs (water, fertilizers)
Groups of students will work
as a team to come up with
possible scientifically sound,
plausible solutions to meet
the assigned challenge. They
will present to the class on
the following: What is the
problem/challenge? How did
it arise?
What aspect of plant biology
does this impact?
Possible solutions to be
addressed by:
 Plant Biologists
 Policy

Societal changes