PBIO 691: Seminar [Plant Cell Walls] (2 credits)
Course web page: http://www.ohio.edu/plantbio/staff/showalte/PBIO%20691/
Time & Place: Friday 1:10-3:00 pm (2 hours); Porter 300
Instructor: Allan Showalter
Fall 2010
Text: Plant Cell Walls ©2011 by Peter Albersheim, Alan Darvill, Keith Roberts, Ron Sederoff
and Andrew Staehelin [OPTIONAL]
Carpita, N. and McCann, M. (2000) Cell Walls. Chapter 2. In Biochemistry & Molecular
Biology of Plants. Buchanan, BB, Gruissem W, Jones, RL. eds. American Society of
Plant Biology, Beltsville, MD. [OPTIONAL]
Requirements: Graduate student status
Course Description:
The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the structure and function of plant cell walls
as well as the scientific approaches, methods and techniques used to study plant cell walls.
Current experimentation and progress in the plant cell wall field, including practical applications
(e.g., plant-based biofuel) will be discussed and featured in student presentations. More
specifically, each student will be assigned a cell wall molecule (e.g., cellulose) and is expected
to: 1) present a review of that cell wall molecule, including the approaches, methods and
techniques used to study that molecule and 2) present a recent primary research paper on that cell
wall molecule, which is selected in consultation with the instructor. Both of these presentations
will be given in front of the entire class within the 2 hour time period. All class members are
expected to read all the selected primary research papers prior to the presentations. Students are
also expected to provide the instructor with their presentation material (i.e., PowerPoint’s and/or
other documents) at least 24 hours in advance of their presentation date so that this information
can be posted on the course web page.
Grades will be based on the following:
1. Attendance (100 points).
2. Student review presentation (100 points).
3. Student primary research paper presentation (100 points).
4. Weekly quizzes (100 points).
Note that failure to provide the presentation material to the instructor 24 hours before assigned
presentation will result in an automatic 40 point reduction in the student’s grade.
Thus, there are 400 points possible. Typically, 93.3% and above will earn an A, 90-93.3% an A-,
86.7-90% a B+, 83.3-86.7% a B, 80-83.3% a B-, 76.7-80% a C+, 73.3-76.7% a C, 70-73.3% a C-,
66.7-70% a D+, 63.3-66.7% a D, 60-63.3% a D-, and below 60% an F.
Quizzes will be based upon material presented in class as well as in the assigned readings.
Office Hours:
By appointment, Porter Hall-Room 504 (phone number 593-1135 or email showalte@ohio.edu)
Academic Conduct:
The penalty for course-related academic dishonesty (i.e., cheating on exams, plagiarism, etc.)
will be failure of the entire course along with a report of the incident being sent to Judiciaries.
Attendance Policy:
Attendance is mandatory. Any absences must be well justified and explained to the instructor in
advance in order to make up any of the graded material.
PBIO 691: Seminar [Plant Cell Walls]
Fall 2010-Syllabus
Instructor: Dr. Allan Showalter
WEEK DATE
CHAPTERS*
TOPICS
1
Sept. 10
2, 3, 2
Overview of plant cell walls-Allan Showalter
2
Sept. 17
2, 3, 2
Cellulose-Debarti Basu
3
Sept. 24
2, 3, 2
Hemicellulose (Xyloglucan)-Yuning Chen
4
Oct. 1
2, 3, 2
Proline-rich proteins-Nan Jiang
5
Oct. 8
2, 3, 2
Extensins-Richard Wiemels
6
Oct. 15
2, 3, 2
Pectin-Wen Dong
7
Oct. 22
2, 3, 2
Hemicellulose (Xylans)-Xiao Liu
8
Oct. 29
2, 3, 2
Lignin-Dening Ye
9
Nov. 5
2, 3, 2
Arabinogalactan-proteins-Laura Cristea
10
Nov. 12
2, 3, 2
Cutin and Suberin-Yan Liang
Nov. 22 (Monday) Final Exam (12:20 PM)
No Final Exam will be given, but this time will be used for class evaluations if the
class evaluations cannot be completed on the final day of class.
* Chapter reading are from your two optional texts, Plant Cell Walls ©2011 by Peter
Albersheim, Alan Darvill, Keith Roberts, Ron Sederoff and Andrew Staehelin (chapter numbers
in non-boldface type) and Carpita, N. and McCann, M. (2000) Cell Walls. Chapter 2. In
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology of Plants. Buchanan, BB, Gruissem W, Jones, RL. eds.
American Society of Plant Biology, Beltsville, MD. (chapter numbers in boldface type).