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P.C. BONHAM-SMITH Ph.D. (Calgary)
PLANT MOLECULAR BIOLOGY:
Molecular biology of the plant ribosome and plant development.
Email: peta.bonhams@usask.ca
Phone: office (306) 966-4457 (lab (306) 966-4430)
FAX: (306) 966-4461
Our lab primarily works on elucidating the role of ribosomal proteins in the
function of the plant ribosome and the plant cell in general. In Arabidopsis thaliana, we study
the regulation of expression of ribosomal proteins as well as r-protein isoforms
and ribosome heterogeneity.
RIBOSOMES: (Anoop Sindhu [PDF], Prasad & Chad Stewart)
Ribosomes are the celular machines found in ALL living cells that are responsible
for the production of proteins, without which we can not live and function.
Arabidopsis ribosomes are comprised of 81 proteins (coded by 254 genes in gene
families of between 2-7 members) attached at specific locations to four ribosomal
rRNAs, resulting in the two unequal (1 small and 1 large) subunit structure
of the ribosome. Our research is involved in determining the role of ribosomal
proteins in ribosome function and heterogeneity,
and how expression of ribosomal proteins is regulated and coordinated.
Why would Arabidopsis need 900,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 possible combinations of ribosome??
TRICHOME DEVELOPMENT in ARABIDOPSIS AND BRASSICAS: (Ushan Alahakoon
[co-supervisor, Dr. Margie Gruber, AAFC, Saskatoon]) Trichomes
are hairs that grow out of some of the epidermal cells of plant leaves. We are
interested in identifying the developmental pathway of trichome development
in Brassicas, such that the information generated can be used to enhance trichome
production in Brassicas and thereby increase plant resistance to insect feeding.