Project Number: 1907-21000-024-05
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 15, 2004
End Date: Jun 14, 2009

Objective:
The objectives of this cooperative research project are to increase our understanding of mechanisms of aluminum tolerance, heavy metal transport, and nutritional quality and health-promoting properties of plants.

Approach:
1) Molecular mapping and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping of aluminum (Al) tolerance loci in cereal crops (maize and sorghum) as well as model plant species (Arabidopsis) will be carried out to isolate and characterize major Al tolerance genes. These genes will be used to improve the Al tolerance of major food crops. 2) The molecular physiology of heavy metal transport will be studied in the heavy metal hyperaccumulator, Thlaspi caerulescens. We have identified a number of genes that are candidates for involvement in metal hyperaccumulation in Thlaspi and will study them in more detail to determine if they are indeed, hyperaccumulation genes. These will be used via biotechnology to improve plants for use in remediation of metal-contaminated soils. 3) Model plant species (Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica oleraceae) will be studied to identify genes involved in the synthesis and accumulation of nutritionally important compounds, including pro-vitamin A precursors and active forms of Se that are believed to have anti-cancer potential.