Project Number: 1275-21000-160-00
Project Type: Appropriated

Start Date: Sep 07, 2002
End Date: Aug 31, 2006

Objective:
1) Develop better tools for investigating the role of heat shock proteins (Hsps) or other gene products in strawberry thermotolerance. These will include an inbred diploid testing system, as well as assays for thermotolerance that will have physiological and/or agricultural relevance. 2) Determine mechanisms by which Hsps or other gene products affect thermotolerance by using standard molecular and biochemical assays for chaperone function, intracellular localization, and protein-protein interaction.

Approach:
Develop physiological, morphological, agricultural, and molecular assays for strawberry thermotolerance. Use 1-D and 2-D PAGE to determine the range of temperatures and length of treatment required to elicit heat shock protein synthesis, and the numbers and kinds of heat shock proteins synthesized by various tissues. Identify promoters for low level gene expression in normal growth and induced expression by temperature or developmental signals. Develop an inbred diploid system for more rapid assessment of the potential for gene transfer to improve strawberry quality and/or production. Transform strawberry with genes for heat shock proteins already shown to increase thermotolerance and assess thermotolerance of transformants. Isolate homologous strawberry genes and use recombinant protein techniques to test proteins for chaperone activity using standard assays. Use immunoprecipitation to investigate protein-protein interaction. BSL-1 Recertification 12/17/02.

Project Team

Slovin, Janet Hammerschlag, Freddi

Project Annual Reports

FY 2003