Module Identifier BSM0810  
Module Title MOLECULAR PLANT PHYSIOLOGY  
Academic Year 2003/2004  
Co-ordinator Dr Ian M Scott  
Semester Semester 1  
Course delivery Lecture   18 Hours  
  Practical   20 Hours  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam3 Hours  50%
Semester Assessment Practical Report:  50%
Supplementary Exam2 Hours Practical Report 50% and Teory Examination 50%  50%

Learning outcomes

On completion of the module the student should have acquired sufficient conceptual and technical background to be able to conduct their own research project using ''state of the art'' approaches in plant physiological and developmental research.


Aims

The module lectures provide insights into major current themes in Plant Physiology, whilst the practicals provide training in advance techniques, highlighting the multidiscipinary approach. Staff from both IBS and IGER are involved in both theoretical and practical teaching, and first-hand accounts of personal research interests are emphasized.

Content

The lecture course has three sections:

1. Mechanisms of action of plant hormones, The topic is reviewed in the light of recent advances in the understanding of the perception of hormonal signals and the various ways in which these signals may be transduced. Hormone signalling will encompass knowledge of hormone receptors, intracellular cascades and ultimately effects on gene expression.

2. Stress responses in plants. The understanding and hence improvement of stress tolerance in plants is a research priority of the Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research. The prospect of climate change has in recent years enhanced the importance of this topic. The lectures will cover physiological, molecular and genetic aspects of plant responses to the major environmental stresses such as cold, heat and drought.

3. Growth and senescence. Local research interests will be used to illustrate modern approaches to the study of these fundamental processes. The dramatic effects of the gibberellin-related growth systems in dicots and monocots will be used to explore the value of such experimental modification in transgenic plants will also be discussed.

The pracitcals provide an introduction to the important modern techniques of plant genetic transformation and tissue culture, analysis of hormones by HPLC and GC/MS, hormones binding assays, protein purification and identification using Western Blots.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7