Science Projects

PLIP3 Suppressor Mutant Screen 

The MPG CURE was originally developed based on the discovery of a plastid lipase gene, PLIP3, in model plant Arabidopsis thaliana (Wang et al., 2018). The PLIP3 enzyme breaks down chloroplast membrane lipids, releasing the polyunsaturated fatty acid 18:3 (carbon length: double bonds). Overexpression of PLIP3 results in the excessive production of 18:3 fatty acids, which are subsequently incorporated into the jasmonic acid (JA) biosynthesis pathway. JA, as a hormone that regulates plant reproduction and defense mechanism, triggers strong defense responses when present in excess. The increased level of JA inhibits plant growth and increases the level of the pigment anthocyanin, resulting in plants without leaf petiole and altered leaf blade shape (Wang et al., 2018; Howe et al., 2018). To identify new genes encoding enzymes or transporters involved in JA biosynthesis, as well as receptors or signaling components that mediate hormone-induced responses, we initiated a suppressor mutant screen using PLIP3-overexpressing (PLIP3-OX) plants.