Plant Physiology 3350. Spring 2007. Topics for papers and talks.
Chestnut blight fungus Amer J Bot 90: 207
Fungal toxins in food that are dangerous to humans: aflatoxin; on maize=fumonisins Pl Phys 129:929
Tree-killing by herbicide-producing ants: Biodiv and Conserv 1: 19 Biotropica 30: 324.
Hypobaric biology of Arabidopsis Pl Phys 134: 215
Mountain pine beetle in the Western US transmit pine blister rust and may be able to complete life cycle in 1 year
(with global warming) and may cause serious pine mortality. Whitebark Pine Communities 2001 article by
Kendall, CK; Amer Entomol 47: 160.
Human hormones present in foods J Nat Prod 66: 1147
Flower improvements using genetic eng Biotechnol Adv 16: 33
Chemical warfare between plants = ‘allelopathy’ Sci September 2003. Using transgenes to produce allelopathic
crops Weed Technology 15: 826 S. O. Duke et al 2001. by glucosinolates: Adv Agron 61: 167
Global climate change: using C credits and C trading to ameliorate the rate of increase in atmospheric CO2; no
refs. Kyoto protocol Front Ecol Environ 1: 262.
Function of vitamin E in plants and animals Pl Phys 132: 1769 and 2184
Circumnutations Pl Phys 132: 1779
Soil erosion Agric Hist 59: 162, Agric Hist 59: 107
Soil fertility and exhaustion is US Soil Sci 40: 39, Rasmussen – Readings in the History of American Agriculture
Sugar maple decline Pl Phys 133: 441
Can J Zool 71: 1592, Pedobiologia 39: 86, Canadian Entomol 123: 851, Oikos 78: 48
Contractile roots, see Plant Roots, 3rd eds by Waisel, Y et al, page 975
Commercial applications of alginates. Carbohydr Eur 14: 26
Compare oxidative burst in neutrophils and plant hypersensitive response OR compare innate immune response in
animals with plant systemic acquired resistance (SAR) Pl Cell 15:706.
Grain quality, flavor hardness Sci 285: 372 J Cereal Sci 23: 1, J Exp Bot 53: 947
Essential amino acids in seeds Pl Cell 15: 845. grain strength Pl Cell 14: 2610. use of low glutelin rice Pl Cell 15:
1455. Allergens from plants Pl Phys 132: 36. low glutelin levels in rice Pl Cell 2003 by M Kasaba, mech=RNA
interference. The recent development of a strain of corn that is high in protein. Search for Evangeline Villegas and
Surinder Vasal of the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, CIMMYT in Mexico city.
Conversion of grasslands to sage, rabbitbrush, pinon-juniper in Utah: J Forestry 38: 613; University of Utah
Bulletin 37: 40 (W. P. Cottam’s work)
Orchid seedling tissue culture, using fungi. No refs
History of pesticide use in the US Pl Phys 133: 431
Current problems with pesticide use in developing world. J Occup Environ Health 9: 40, Ann Rev Public Health
25: 155, The Lancet 360: 1163 Pediatrics 113: 1030. If you can’t find, I have the full citations.
Environmental costs of cotton production. Are there alternatives? Flax (linen), Cannabis
Apomixes in some Utah plant spp Pl Cell 15: 1500 and 15: 1524
The domestication of maize, genetics, morphology Pl Cell 15: 1795
Opium poppy, morphine and codeine synthesis, laticifers Pl Cell 15: 2626
Potato tuber life cycle, signals for tuberization Pl Phys 133: 618
Heavy metal contamination of foods from fertilizers. Pl Phys 133:589
Diabetes and non-enzymatic glycation of proteins in animals – draw parallel with phloem and sugar transport in
plants. Diabetic complications from accum of glycated products=Recent Prog Hormone Res 56: 1-21 (2001)
Cell biology: movement protein of tobacco mosaic virus Pl Phys 132: 1870
Removal of cadmium, uranium and toxic metals from soils by plants =’phytoremediation’ Nature Biotechnol 20:
1094; Pl Cell 15: 2911. look up Strychnos potatorum. New Phytologist 146:357-358 2000 Evolution of metal
hyperaccumulation and overselling of phytoremediation.
Plants engineered to synthesize tropane and scoplamine PNAS 101: 6786
GMO alfalfa and ‘pasture bloat’ of cattle Pl Phys 132: 1448
Action potentials in plants American Sci 81: 140; Nature 407: 37
Golden rice Pl Phys 133: 161 (2003)
Low caffeine coffee Nature 423: 823
Thermogenic plants and pollinations J Exp Bot 52: 1465
Chloroplast movement, lensing effects Pl Phys 133: 1472. Cytoplasmic movement pl cell 15: 331
History of transposable elements, discovery in maize by Barbara McClintock. This is a difficult area of genetics!
Sustainable ag – PNAS 96: 5995, Nature 418: 671
Aquaporins in plant and human physiology Pl Cell 15: 510
Ecological function of phot1 and pho2, the two genes that code for blue-light-sensing proteins Evolution 58: 504.
Global climate, sea surface temps, algal alkenones Nature 427: 723
Lycopene from plants in human health, prevention of prostate cancer?? Pl Phys 130: 1077
Commercial rooting hormone, what is it? How does it work? Why is it use don trees but not herbaceous plants?
No refs
Taste of wild foods, humans and chimps Evol Anthro 5: 58, Curr Anthro 41: 431, Chimps of Budongo by V
Reynolds pp 62-64.
Use of Cyperus spp for birth control in Amazonia, chemistry, look for more recent investigations J Economic
Botany 44: 452 (1990). Plowman et al.
achlorophyllous plants, e.g. Triuridaceae are symbiotic with mycorrhizal fungi or parasites of photosynthetic
plants. Curr Opinion Pl Biol 4: 359. mistletoe Func Ecol 8: 237. Arachnitis-see nature Sept 26, 2002 by M.
Bidartondo
spread of transgenes from genetically modified crops to weedy relatives Ecol Appl 13: 279
How do the larvae of galling insects induce plants to develop a gall? Do the larvae make auxin-like and cytokininlike substances?
Chromoplasts give color to fruits, flowers, Biochem and mol bio of chromoplast dev. Int Rev Cytol 163:175-247.
B. Camara et al. 1995
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300 mg garlic powder per day, delayed age-related stiffening of aorta Circulation 91997) 96:2549-2555,
Breithaupt-Grogler, K. et al.. NO level in blood may be raised by garlic
Heart and plant metabolites
Holloway, GM and Gainer, JL (1988) The carotenoid crocetin enhances pulmonary oxygenation. J Applied
Physiol 65:683-6 (Cited in Pl Cell 15:60)
Survey of secondary plant metabolites with cardiovascular activity. Ghisalberti, Emilio L.; Pennacchio,
Marcello; Alexander, Elizabeth. Pharmaceutical Biology (1998), 36(4), 237-279. A review with 300 refs. A
compilation of over 700 secondary plant metabolites known to exhibit cardiovascular activity is presented. For
each metabolite, a plant source, type of activity, the structural class to which it belongs and pertinent literature refs.
is given. A brief discussion highlighting some of the metabolites which show promising cardiotonic activity is
included.
Aroma or volatile compounds: Degradation of carotenoids: an important role to aroma compounds Pure Applied
Chem 57: 693-700 (1985) C. Enzell. Flower scents: Bioactive Volatile Compounds from Plants. 1993. natural
odorant Perfume: Art Science and Technology 1991. Flavors in plants P Schreier , P Winterhalter Progress in
Flavour Precursor Studies. 1993. Aroma biotechnology – Berger, RG 1995
Oils from plants used in nutraceutical and industrial applications Pl Phys 130: 2022
Organic gardening Pl Phys 130: 1951, traditional farming techniques Nature 406: 718
Solar tracking by flowers Amer J Bot 90: 724
Lignin genetic engineering Sci 145: 51-65
Banana technology – breeding (Gros Michel, Cavendish); pathogens ‘black sigatoka’; International network for
the Improvement of banana and Plantain; shipping technology – temperature and atmosphere (CO2) control,
ethylene in ripening
Forage Cell Wall Structure and Digestibility H. G. Jung et al. Eds 1993
Stevia, a source of a non-nutritive sweetener, Stevia: the genus Stevia DA Kinghorn
Biochemistry of tea processing Pl Phys 130: 2168
Agricultural ethics pl Phys 132: 4
Mycorrhizae Pl Cell 14: 2413
Vernalization, wheat, fruit production Pl Cell 14: 2537
Carotenoids in the retina
A lutein and xanthophyll derived from fruits and veg and their metabolites accummulate in retina and may protect
photoreceptors of retina from blue light and prevent age-re;ated macular degeneration and other blinding disorders
Nutritional Influences on the Eye A Taylor (ed.) CRC Press Boca Raton 1999 (pp215-250)
Amer J Clin Nutr 1995 62:14485-14615 Snodderly, DM
Cited in JNP 66: 72 (2003)
Soil crusts: Ecol Applic 12: 1391 2002 southern Utah data on distribution, effects of N fix on vasc plants
Biol Soil Crusts: struc ecol manag Ecolog Studies Series Springer-V 2001 Belnap, J and OL Lange eds
Front. Ecol Environ 1: 181 (2003).
Soil erosion, dust, cryptogamic crusts:
Science 290:1300 (2000); 286:1477 (1999); 267:117 (1995); 297: 537 (2002)
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (USA) December 8, 1998; 99:5476 (2002)
Sudden oak death Front Ecol Environ 1: 197
Resurrection plants: Planta 215: 716, also Michael J Gardner, U of Cape Town, Xerophyta humilis, after year or
more without water spring to life with water.
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Orchid culture. Orchid seeds are microscopic (literally) and, in nature, these require a fungus for successful
germination and establishment. To obtain unusual flower morphology and color, related orchid species can be
crossed by hand, and these set seed. But special laboratory techniques are required to get plants from the seeds.
Compare acquisition of iron in plants and vertebrates, specifically reduction and chelation.
David Benzing Water uptake by leaves in bromeliads and orchids.
http://biology.bangor.ac.uk/treborth/Epiphytes/Epiphytes-Water_collection.html#trichomes
SMITH, J. A.C. (1987) Epiphytic Bromeliads in LUTTGE, U. (Editor) (1987) Vascular Plants as Epiphytes.
Evolution and Ecophysiology. Springer-Verlag.
Water uptake by organs other than roots. PW Rundel in Physiol Pl Ecol edited by OL Lange, Vol 2. 1982
Malaria evolved from an alga and has a (non-photosynthetic) plastid:
Science 275: 1422 (1997); Nature 390: 407 (1997) and 397: 219 (1999); Trends in Plant Science 6: 200 (2001)
Ozone hole, stratospheric ozone that absorbs UV, the “good” ozone –see some of the web sites I provided at the
3350 web site, also NASA, EPA, UN and NOAA web sites may have info
Tropospheric ozone, ozone the pollutant, the “bad” ozone, also NASA, EPA, UN and NOAA web sites may have
info
Science (1997) 276:1045
New Phytologist 139:161 and 139:109 (1998)
Green revolution, fertilizers, algal growth, decomposition, and marine “dead zones”. Mississippi and Gulf of
Mexico
Science 280:112 (1998) Pamela Matson et al
Science 292:1485 (2001) C Snyder
Proposal of a radical idea, endosymbiosis, and its eventual acceptance.
Lynn Margulis 1993 Symbiosis in Cell Evolution
The origin of plastids and their spread via secondary symbiosis. In: D. Bhattacharya (ed.) Origins of Algae and
Their Plastids, 1997, Springer
Plant Physiology 125:50 (2001)
The cell biology of secondary symbiosis:
Physiologia Plantarum 107:136-141 1999 Diatom plastids:
Secondary symbioses, plastid genome and protein import.
The use of annual tree rings in historical reconstruction and archaeology:
http://web.utk.edu/~grissino/
Agroecology and agroforestry:
trees
traditional cropping schemes with many annual species mixed together; also
circadian rhythms
Plant Cell Physiol 41:1013-1020. 2000 The current state and problems of circadian clock studies in
cyanobacteria.
Plant Physiology (2001) 125: 101
Cell biology of programmed cell death (important in plant in disease responses)
Plant Physiology Biochem 38:647-655. 2000 Plant programmed cell death: a common way to die.
Plant Physiology (2001) 125: 97. Do plant caspases exists? Pl Phys 130: 1764
What do plants use Vitamin C for?
Plant Physiology Biochem 38:531-540 2000 Ascorbate function and associated transport systems in plants. (very
broad, focus on ascorbate in O2 scavenging, section 3.1)
Vitamin C syn Pl Phys Biochem 38: 5311 Nature 393: 365
J Phycology 36:803-812 2000 MADS-box genes: development and evolution of plant body plans.
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J Phycology 36:813-820 2000 Actin gene duplication and the evolution of morphological complexity in land
plants.
Flower colors
Physiologia Plantarum 110:152-157 2000 Regulation of flower pigmentation and growth: Multiple signaling
pathways control anthocyanin synthesis in expanding petals.
Nature 369: 661 (1994)
Bulb plants: movement of the bulb up or down in response to temperature
Rapid plant movements. Leaflet folding due to petiole bending in Mimosa pudica.
Insect trapping species: Dionea (Nature 433:421, 2005) and Utricularia
Plant responses to gravity:
gravitropism
J Experimental Botany 51:1323-1340 2000 The use of mutants to probe models of
Making medicines, oral vaccines, technical materials in plants
Plant Physiology 124:927-933 2000 Production of recombinant proteins in tobacco guttation fluid.
Plant Physiology 125: 177 (2001)
Clinical tests of immune response induced by a vaccine made and delivered via potato: Journal of Infectious
Diseases 182: 302 (2000)
Trends in Plant Science 6: 219 (2001)
How do plants ensure outcrossing?
Plant Physiology 124:935-939 2000 Self-incompatibility. Prospects for a
novel putative peptide-signaling molecule. (complex, pick out just one, perhaps Schopfer et al 1999)
Genetically modified plants: Plant Physiology 124:487-490 2000 Ending world hunger. The promise of
biotechnology and the threat of antiscience zealotry.
Plant Physiology 124:531-540. Regulators and regulation of legume root nodule development. (complicated,
focus on NOD factors - lipochito-oligosaccharides on p 532-3)
Symbiotic algae in corals, lichens: Herbivorous snails that retain chloroplasts and do photosynthesis
J Phycology 34:407-412 1998 Diversity and ecology of zoozanthellae on coral reefs.
Carnivorous plants:
Science 257: 1491 (1992)
Algal blooms and red tides: J Phycology 35:1353-1355 1999 The importance of understanding the molecular,
cellular, and ecophysiological basis of harmful algal blooms. Nature 388: 513 (1997). ‘green’ tide algal blooms
Amer J Bot 89: 1756. fresh water cyano blooms can make toxins=Toxic Cyanobacteria in Water: a guide to their
public health consequences, monitoring and management. I Chorus and J Bartram eds. WHO 1999.
Invasive or introduced plants and algae
Science 285:1834 (1999); 290: 521 (2000); 289: 222 (2000); 288: 1969 (2000) Nature 408: 157 (2000)
Enserink, M. Biological Invaders Sweep In. Science 285 (1999);
Everett, R.A. Patterns and Pathways of
Biological Invasions. Tree 15 (5) (2000);
Goodell, K. et al. Biological Impacts of Species Invasions:
Implications for Policymakers. SPS Proceedings: National Research Council (pp 87-117) (2001); Kaiser, J.
Stemming the Tide of Species Invasions. Science 285 (1999); Myers, J.H. et al. Eradication Revisited: Dealing
with Exotic Species. Tree 15 (8) (2000);
Pimentel, D. et al. Environmental and Economic Costs of
Nonindigenous Species in the United States. BioScience 50 (1) (2000);
Hobbs, R.J. Synergisms among Habitat
Fragmentation, Livestock Grazing, and Biotic Invasions in Southwestern Australia. Conservation Biology 15 (6)
(2001);
Schmitz, D.C. & Simberloff, D. Biological Invasions: A Growing Threat. Issues in Science and
Technology, Summer (1997);
Strong, D. R. & Pemberton, R.W. Biological Control of Invading Species – Risk
and Reform. Science 288 (16) (2000);
Van Driesche, R. & Van Driesche, J. Nature Out Of Place. Island press
(2000);
Vitousek, P.M. et al. Introduced Species: A Significant Component of Human Caused Global Change.
NZ Journal of Ecology 21 (1) (1997).
Invaders Database System http://invader.dbs.umt.edu/
The Nature
Conservancy’s Wildland Weeds Management and Research Program http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu/
Alien Plant
Working Group of the Plant Conservation Alliance http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/
American Lands
Alliance’s Invasive Species Page http://www.americanlands.org/forestweb/invasive.htm/ Institute for Biological
Invasions http://invasions.bio.utk.edu
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Invasive Species Specialist Group http://www.issg.org Information Management System for Invasive Species
http://www.invasivespecies.org
Southwest Exotic Plant Information Clearinghouse http://wapiti.wr.usgs.gov/swepic/
Adaptations of plants to anaerobic (flooded) soils. How plants get oxygen to the roots.
J Phycology 34:195-205 1998 Predicting the effects of brown algal phlorotannins in marine herbivory in tropical
and temperate oceans (lots of stuff, pick one thing!)
Plant responses to being eaten. Leaves that are damaged by caterpillars make volatile compounds that attract
parasitoids (the enemies of herbivores). Do plants use animals (parasitoids) to protect themselves from
caterpillars?
Planta 207:325-335 1997 A unique reaction in a common pathway: mechanisms and function of chlorismate
synthase in the shikimate pathway.
Planta 208:137-145 1997 The eco-physiological complexity of plant responses to insect herbivory.
Plant Molecular Biology 40:763-769 1999 Oligopeptide signaling and the action of systemin.
Plant Physiology 120:645-651 1999 The role of phospholipase D in signaling cascades.
J Experimental Botany 51:1-8 2000 Crop improvement in the 21st century.
Shade responses
J Experimental Botany 50:1629-1634 1999 Plant-plant signaling, the shade-avoidance response and competition.
Plant Physiology 122:621-626 Shade avoidance responses. Driving auxin along lateral roots.
Heat generating flowers:
Science 237: 1601 (1987); 292: 186 (2001)
Nature 408: 609 (2000)
Plant Cell 11: 571 (1999)
Development of crops from wild plants: e.g. Teosinte to corn. Crop Evolution, Adaptation, and Yield, L. T. Evans
1993. Science 292: 2260 (2001) Amer J Bot 89: 1730
The function of a homolog of a human cancer gene in plants
Plant Molecular Biology 41:295-299 1999 Retinoblastoma proteins in plants.
Plant Molecular Biology 39:865-870 1999 Protein prenylation in plants: old friends and new targets.
High temperature stress responses
Physiologia Plantarum 103:437-441 1998 Heat shock proteins and cross-tolerance in plants.
New Phytologist 146:1-4 2000 Terpenes and the thermotolerance of photosynthesis
Phloem in brown algae.
Plant Physiology 123:29-38 2000 Solar-powered sea slugs. Mollusc/algal chloroplast symbiosis.
Explosive dehiscence
Plant Physiology 122:11-13 2000 Explosive discharge of pollen tube contents in Torenia fournieri
Plant Physiology 120:945-950 1999 Betains and related osmoprotectants. Targets for metabolic engineering for
stress resistance.
How do plants sense gravity?
Plant Physiology 120:343-350 1999 Gravitropism in higher plants
Plant Physiology 119:9-16 1999 How do algae concentrate CO2 to increase the efficiency of photosynthetic
carbon fixation?
Oecologia 118:109-123 1999 Ecological and evolutionary aspects of isoprene emission from plants.
Treeline plants
Oecologia 115:445-449 1998 A re-assessment of high elevation treeline position and their explanation.
Hydraulic lift by big sage
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Oecologia 113:151-162 1998 Hydraulic lift: a consequence of water efflux from the roots of plants.
CO2 storage in trees as a way to reduce atmospheric C02, the missing carbon sink
Trends in Ecology and Evolution 15:332-336 2000 Tropical forests and atmospheric carbon dioxide.
Plant Physiology 125: 25 (2001)
Oecologia 113:299-313 1998 A meta-analysis of elevated CO2 effects on woody plant mass, form and
physiology.
Oecologia 111:1-11 1997 Root biomass allocation in the world's upland forests.
Trends in Ecology and Evolution 14:385-389 1999 Vascular plant controls on methane emissions from northern
peat forming wetlands.
The evolution of C4 plants and grazing animals due to decreasing CO2
Look at Jim Ehleringer’s web page
Oecologia 112:285-300 1997 C4 photosynthesis, atmospheric CO2 and climate.
Oecologia 120:364-374 Browsing and grazing in elephants: The isotope records of modern and fossil
proboscideans.
Humans use a large fraction of Earth’s terrestrial primary productivity. Science 294: 2490 and 2549 (2001)
Therapeutic use of plant extracts: gingko extract. Proceedings National Academy of Sciences (USA) (2001)
98:6577. Plant Physiology 124:507-514 2000 Medicinal plants and phytomedicines: Linking plant
biochemistry and physiology to human health. Brain cannabinoids function; in chocolate Nature 382: 677
(1996). 410:763 (2001). Gingko bilboa extract not effective as memory aid, 6 weeks of over age 60, no change
in acuity Solomon, P.R. et al J Am Med Assn (2002) 288:835-840. Other recent studies of Echinacea, St John’s
wort in blind trials with a placebo, but I do not have the refs. J Nat Prod 67: 124 nice review written by chemists
of practices herbal industry. Arch of Internal Med, March 24, 2003 C. M Gilroy – shows inconsistent chemical
composition of herbal supplements and popular article in Science News June 7, 2003 163: 359-361. other studies
of St John’s wort: J Endocrin 166, page R11, PNAS 97:7500. new Scientist, 24 July 1999, p24 and August 19,
2000, p20
Plant secondary metabolites and medicines
Novocaine/cocaine
Interactions of grapefruit with medicines
Caffeine, cocaine (local anesthetic, e.g. novocaine), ephedrine (bronchodilator), taxol, quinine (anti-malarial),
vincristine and vinblastine for childhood leukemia and Hodgkin’s disease, curare
albuterol (bronchodilator) ER McFadden 1976 Inhaled Aerosol Bronchodilators
digoxin (cardiotonic) Cutting’s Handbook of Pharmacology 1979 6th ed.
Metropolol tartrate (cardiac -blocker) ER McFadden 1976 Inhaled Aerosol Bronchodilators
Verapamil (smooth muscle vasodilator; remote derivative of papaverine from Papaver somiferumc) Goodman and
Gilman 1990. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (7th Ed); Cutting’s Handbook of Pharmacology
1979 6th ed.
Atenolol, nadolol (cardiac -blockers) ER McFadden 1976 Inhaled Aerosol Bronchodilators, based on ephedrine
from Ephedra sinica.
Theophylline (bronchodilator) from tea, Camellia sinensis MSF Ross and KR Brain 1977. An Introduction to
Phytopharmacy . Pitman Medical
Pentoxifylline (vascular disease) Goodman and Gilman 1996. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics (7th
Ed); Cutting’s Handbook of Pharmacology 1979 9th ed.
Cromolyn solution (respiratory inhalant) Goodman and Gilman 1990. The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics
(7th Ed); Cutting’s Handbook of Pharmacology 1979 6th ed.
Diosgenin from yams (Dioscorea) used in the synthesis of steroidal drugs
The function of vitamin E in plants
Source of phosphate for fertilizer
Dust storms from China fertilize marine phytoplankton with iron (J Geophysical Research, Meskhidze et al, 2005)
Self-propelled seeds move on ground and into the ground. Science 316: 884 (2007)
Evolution and diversification of cassava, B Schaal, K Olsen, L Carvalho BioScience, 2007
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The origins of Agent Orange in basic research in plant physiology, see Science 422: 681, Stellman et al., 2003,
also studies of A. Galston.
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