Tissue-Specific and Developmental Expression of Lectin Genesin Cereals and Rice

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Tissue-Specific and Developmental Expression of Lectin Genes in Cereals and Rice: Molecular genetics and immuno cytochemical approaches will be used to study processes that control tissue- specific gene expression of lectin synthesis. The approach will consist of the following stages; a) characterization of genomic sequences of wheat germ agglutinin and rice lectins; b) analysis and mutagenesis of promoter sequences of these genes, c) transformation experiments to examine how specific gene constructs are expressed. The differential localization of lectins among different cells of closely related species of crop grasses provides a model system for studying cell-and tissue-specific expression of closely related proteins. It provides a unique opportunity to answer questions important to the genetic engineering of plants e.g. How will wheat germ agglutinin genes be expressed when introduced into rice? Will the pattern be similar to that found in wheat or in rice? What are the gene sequences responsible for determining the pattern of expression of similar proteins in different tissues? Finally the potential creation of lectin- deficient plants could possibly answer the perplexing riddle of lectin function in organisms.