Project properties

Title How to make an even cell wall lamella?
Group Plant Cell Biology, Laboratory of
Project type thesis
Credits 18-39
Supervisor(s) Prof. dr. Anne Mie Emons, Dr. ir. Tijs Ketelaar, Ir. Jelmer Lindeboom
Examiner(s) Prof. Dr. Anne Mie Emons
Contact info annemie.emons@wur.nl
Begin date 2008/04/01
End date 2010/04/01
Description Cellulose is the most abundant biopolymer on earth and organized as microfibrils.
Humans use cellulose as cotton, paper, fibre, food and fodder, but it is becoming important now as biofuel and in nanotechnological applications. Therefore, we need to know more about its production and organization in cell walls. That is why a so-called international NEST Adventure program is being funded by the EU, which we coordinate from Wageningen University, laboratory of Plant Cell Biology.
Cellulose is produced by cellulose synthase complexes moving inside the plasma membrane. We have Arabidopsis plants containing fusion constructs between a green (or other color) fluorescent protein and the cellulose synthase to follow the production of the cellulose microfibrils, and also plants with fluorescent mirotubules, which orient the microfibrils in growing cells, but this has been questioned for other cell types. An important cell type for biofuel are the xylem cells. Cultures can be made of these cells that make bands of cellulose microfibrils. The MSc student will set up such a tracheary element cell culture of Arabidopsis and follow the microtubules, the production of cellulose, and their relationship.
Used skills Arabidopsis plant culture, transgenics with XFP:fusion proteins, live cell imaging using advanced light microscopies, a.o. spinning disk microscopy, image analysis
Requirements PCB-30306 (Cell biology and advanced imaging techniques)