Contents contributed and discussions participated by Rafael Chen - RIS IB Biology

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isolation of the gene that controls drought tolerance in plants
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enable a plant's leaves to stay green long after the last watering
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plant hormone abscisic acid triggers the closure of the plant's stomata
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controlled by the ERA1
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By suppressing the gene -- and thereby keeping the stomata closed -- he found it is possible to control water loss so plants last longer
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useful in applications such as the cut flower industry
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The discovery could lead to genetically engineered plants that store commercially useful substances in an enlarged root
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The pickle mutation mimics what happens in seeds, which typically are the major structures accumulating and storing proteins and oil
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In this mutation the cells destined to become primary root cells retain the character of embryonic cells
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They fail to make the switch from embryonic to adult
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The mutation has its greatest effect when gibberellin is not present during the first 24 hours of growth
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PCBs can buildup in fish and marine mammals, reaching thousands of times higher levels than found in the water they live in
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using a rapid, DNA screening method, researchers have discovered a bacterium capable of degrading PCBs
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this will lead to the complete dechlorination of persistant molecules
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important for bioremediation efforts and for developing molecular probes to monitor PCB degrading
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microbes in bee colonies that have previously been associated with fermentation in humans and other animals
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communities of active bacteria harbored by honey bee colonies
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research suggests honey bees may take advantage of these beneficial symbiotic bacteria to convert indigestible material into nutritious food and to enhance protection from pathogens
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Genetic diversity is created in a colony when a queen mates with many male bees
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less likelihood of potentially pathogenic bacteria showing up in genetically diverse honey bee colonies
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individual bees and their symbionts can enhance the overall health of a colony when it is genetically diverse
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increased resistance to colonization by pathogens or through the production of nutrients by these microbes
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creating a new type of biological "wire," using proteins that interact with DNA and behave like wires in electronic circuitry
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it can be re-engineered over and over again
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fundamental DNA components, called "promoters," which are needed for re-programming yeast
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Future applications of this work could include tiny yeast-based machines that can be dropped into water supplies to detect contaminants, and yeast that records environmental conditions during the manufacture of biofuels to determine if improvements can be made to the production process.
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help to improve things such as pollution monitoring and cleaner fuels
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