Exploring the function of a novel plant nuclear membrane protein
Yangnan Gu, Professor
Plant and Microbial Biology
Closed. This professor is continuing with Spring 2024 apprentices on this project; no new apprentices needed for Fall 2024.
The nuclear envelope (NE) is structurally and functionally vital for eukaryotic cells, yet its protein constituents and their functions are poorly understood in plants. We combined subtractive proteomics and the proximity labeling technology-coupled with quantitative mass spectrometry to understand the landscape of NE membrane proteins in Arabidopsis and identified over 200 potential candidates for plant nuclear envelope transmembrane (PNET) proteins. One of the candidates, named PNET1, is a homolog of human TMEM209, a critical driver for lung cancer. Functional investigation revealed that PNET1 is a bona fide nucleoporin in plants. It displays both physical and genetic interactions with the nuclear pore complex (NPC) and plays an essential role in embryo development and reproduction in different NPC contexts. However, the molecular and cellular function and the signaling pathway that PNET1 is involved are still not clear.
Role: The student will interact with the lab’s principal investigator, Yangnan Gu and work with another researcher to use fluorescent microscopy to observe the protein dynamics of PNET1 and other PNET1-related molecules, as well as the nuclear envelope structure of plant cells with mutations in the PNET1 gene. The student will also learn plant genetics and various modern molecular biological techniques in the lab. The student will have the opportunity to participate in lab meeting discussions and departmental seminars.
Qualifications: This project provides an excellent opportunity for a student to become proficient with a variety of techniques fundamental to plant genetics and molecular and cellular biological research. The student will work with other scientists to explore one of the novel plant nuclear envelope protein that we recently discovered.
The student should have a strong desire to learn basic research and is willing to invest a significant amount of time in the lab to pursue the research project. A solid understanding of molecular biology concepts and some prior experience with molecular biology techniques are preferred. The student must be responsible, conscientious, attentive to detail and able to relate the details of her/his work to the larger objectives of the project.
Hours: 12 or more hours
Biological & Health Sciences