Project properties
Title Why are cellulose microfibrils deposited in even, single layers?
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. It is 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. These synthases make tracks in the plasma membrane and the result is an even layer of cellulose microfibrils. This is a puzzling result. The MSc student who carries out this project will analyze these tracks and collaborate with people in the laboratory who perform electron microcopy on the same cell walls and others who make make mathematical models. Your research, together with ongoing research in this project, will elucidate the mechanisms which are responsible for deposition of cellulose microfibrils in even layers
Used skills Arabidopsis plant culture, transgenics with XFP-fusion proteins, live cell imaging using advanced light microscopies, image analysis
Requirements PCB-30306