Our Transgenic Tomatoes on the International Space Station

Seeds from wild type and our transgenic tomato lines (modified in their gravity signaling pathway) were sent to the International Space Station on the Shuttle Endeavour on August 7th , 2007 (left picture) and were planted by astronaut Clay Anderson on the International Space Station on August 29th, 2007. We are monitoring their germination and growth through images down linked from the station (right) and compare it to our ground controls at BioServe (University of Colorado) and our lab at NCSU. (transgenics are labeled orange and blue; controls are red and black).

Research Interests:

Our Lab studies the regulation and integration of different abiotic stimuli like gravity, light, and mechanical stress. The plant responds to changes in these abiotic conditions with changes in their direction of growth (tropisms). We are specifically interested in the signal transduction elements that affect stress-specific gene expression in the roots. Using high-thoughtput technology we can identify general and specific responses and identify factors controling the stress specific responses.

We are also interested in identifying the function of two families of proteins (MD2-lipid binding domain proteins and C2-domain transcription factors) which are involved in the fast responses to gravity and light signaling.

Transcription is only the first step in the functional expression of a gene. Our research also focuses on translational regulation of gene expression and post-translational modification of specific proteins.

Selected Publications:

Salinas-Mondragon, R.E., Brogan, A., Ward, N., Perera, I.Y., Boss, W.F., Brown, C.S., Winter Sederoff, H. (2005) “Gravity and Light: Integrating Transcriptional Regulation in Roots.”Gravitational and Space Bulletin 18(2); June 2005.

Kimbrough, J.M., Brown, C.S., Winter Sederoff, H. (2005) Co-expression and hormonal regulation of genes throughout gravity and mechanical stimulation in the Arabidopsis root apex. Gravitational and Space Bulletin 18(2); June 2005

Kimbrough, J. M., R. Salinas-Mondragon, W. F. Boss, C. S. Brown and H. Winter Sederoff (2004). "The fast and transient transcriptional network of gravity and mechanical stimulation in the Arabidopsis root apex." Plant Physiol 136(1): 2790-805.

Hardin, S. C., H. Winter and S. C. Huber (2004). Phosphorylation of the amino terminus of maize sucrose synthase in relation to membrane association and enzyme activity. Plant Physiol 134(4): 1427-38.

Hardin, S.C., Tang, G.-Q., Scholz, A., Holtgraewe, D., Winter, H., Huber, S.C. (2003) Serine-170 is a calcium-dependent protein kinase targeted phosphorylation site in sucrose synthase that is correlated with protein instability. Plant J. 35:588-603.

Smith, P.M.C., Winter, H., Storer, P.J., Bussell, J.D., Schuller, K.A., Atkins, C.A. (2002) Effect of short-term N2-deficiency on expression of the ureide pathway in cowpea root nodules. Plant Physiol. 129: 1216-1221.

Winter, H., Huber, SC. (2000) Regulation of sucrose metabolism in higher plants. Critical Reviews in Plant Science, 19 (1): 31-67.

Kuzma, M.M., Winter, H., Storer, P., Oresnik, I., Atkins, C.A. and Layzell, D.B. (1999) The site of O2 limitation in soybean nodules. Plant Physiol. 119, 399-408.

Collings, D.A., Winter, H., Wyatt, S.E. and Allen, N.S. (1998) Growth dynamics and cytoskeleton organization during stem maturation and gravity-induced stem bending in Zea mays L. Planta 207, 246-258.

Winter, H., Huber, J.L. and Huber, S.C. (1998) Identification of sucrose synthase as an actin-binding protein. FEBS letters 430, 205-208.

Winter, H., Huber, J.L. and Huber, S.C. (1997) Membrane association of sucrose synthase: Changes during the graviresponse and possible control by phosphorylation. FEBS letters 420, 151-155.

Wadham, C., Winter, H. and Schuller, K.A. (1996) Regulation of soybean nodule phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase in vivo. Physiol. Plant. 97, 531-535.

Lohaus, G., Winter, H., Riens, B. and Heldt, H.W. (1995) Further Studies of the Phloem Loading Process in Leaves of barley and spinach: The comparison of metabolite concentrations in the apoplastic compartment with those in the cytosolic compartment and in the sieve tubes. Bot. Acta 108, 270-275.

Winter, H., Robinson, D. and Heldt, H.W. (1994) Subcellular volumes and metabolite concentrations in spinach leaves. Planta 193, 530-535.

Riens, B., Lohaus, G., Winter, H. and Heldt, H.W. (1994) Production and diurnal utilisation of assimilates in leaves of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) and barley (Hordeum vulgare). Planta, 192, 479-501.
Winter, H., Robinson, D.G., Heldt, H.W. (1993) Subcellular volumes and metaBOlite concentrations in barley leaves. Planta 191 (2), 180-190.
Winter, H., Lohaus, G. and Heldt, H.W. (1992) Phloem transport of amino acids in relation to their cytosolic levels in barley leaves. Plant Physiol. 99, 996-1004.