Plant Gene Research Could Improve Crop Productivity

Environmental conditions such as drought, cold, high heat, salt, UV light and ozone, and oxygen deprivation are common adverse environmental stresses encountered by land plants. To cope with these environmental hardships, plants utilize a number of overlapping physiological and metabolic response pathways. A single gene, RACK1 (Receptor for Activating C Kinase 1) plays a major role in coordinating different signal transduction pathways. RACK1 proteins are highly conserved in a wide range of species, including plants, humans, rats, chickens, flies, yeasts and algae. The conservation of DNA sequences indicates that the biological function of RACK1 has not changed over time.

Now, Hemayet Ullah of Howard University has deduced the first crystal structure of a RACK1 protein. The structure suggests that highly conserved residues played a role in the interaction of RACK1 with its many partner proteins. The discovery of this structure provides the framework for correlating various cellular response pathways.

Working with primarily minority undergraduate and graduate students, Ullah has taken a small NSF award and made big discoveries. This research has direct relevance to engineering improved agricultural and biofuel crops that can resist changes in temperature and gas equilibrium.