The Young lab studies cellular transport using tools from the evolving field of Functional Genomics. Our goal is to better understand plasma membrane proton pumps in plants. Proton pumps provide the underlying energy for a variety of fundamental transport-related processes such as cellular homeostasis, mineral and metabolite uptake and transport, cell growth and morphogenesis, and a variety of responses to the environment including stomatal control, tropic responses, and defense related mechanisms.

We study the small mustard Arabidopsis thaliana. The DNA sequence for Arabidopsis was recently completed and we have learned that the pumps are encoded by eleven different genes (the AHA, Arabidopsis plasma membrane H+-ATpase gene family). As a first step toward determining the function of the AHA genes, we have isolated mutants in ten of eleven gene family members. We are currently studying the genetics and physiology of these mutants.

Several Publications (click on the journal link for free access)

- Baxter, IR*, Young, JC*, Armstrong, G, Fosters, N, Bogenschutz, N, Cordova, T, Peer, WA, Hazen, SP, Murphy, A, Harper, JF. (2005) A plasma membrane H⁺-ATPase is required for the formation of proanthocyanidins in the seed coat endothelium of Arabidopsis thaliana. PNAS, 102 (7): 2649–2654

- Robertson WR, Clark K (nee Szumlanski), Young JC, Sussman MR. (2004) An Arabidopsis thaliana Plasma Membrane Proton Pump Is Essential for Pollen Development. Genetics. 168(3):1677-87

- Ullah, H,, Chen, JG, Young, JC, Im, KH, Sussman, M, Jones, AJ (2001) Modulation of Cell Proliferation by Heterotrimeric G-protein in Arabidopsis , Science 15 (292): 2066-2069

- Young, JC, Krysan, PJ, Sussman, MR (2001) Efficient screening of Arabidopsis T-DNA insertion lines. Plant Physiol. 125(2), 513-518

- Chen, JG, Ullah, H, Young, JC, Sussman, MR and Jones, AJ (2001) ABP1 is required for organized cell elongation and division in Arabidopsis embryogenesis, Genes and Development 15(7)

- Krysan, PJ, Young, JC and Sussman, MR (1999) T-DNA as an Insertional Mutagen in Arabidopsis. Plant Cell 11: 2283-2290

...for abstracts and links to more publications.

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