During the healing process following grafting, meristematic tissue must initiate xylem and phloem cells within the graft junction. Additionally, the files of the scion (upper portion of the graft) and stock (lower portion of the graft) must coordinate their placement, so that new vasculature can connect the two portions. In order for this coordinated healing to take place, it is hypothesized that there are important mobile signals in the graft junction.
In order to investigate this, we are generating reporter and CRISPR lines for potential graft-related and mobile signaling genes.
Skills:
- Grafting
- Tissue processing and staining (auramine O, calcufluor white, propidium iodide)
- Confocal microscopy
- Golden-gate cloning
- Plant transformation and tissue culture
Hannah Rae Thomas 