DISSERTATION RESEARCH: Evolutionary Ecophysiology of Low Molecular Weight Heat Shock Protein Expression in Plants

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The work supported through this dissertation improvement grant will be focused on the ecophysiology and evolution of the heat shock protein (HSP) response in plants. The heat shock protein response is a ubiquitous and well-characterized cellular response to heat stress exhibited by all organisms. However the role of HSP expression in the evolution of thermotolerance is not well understood. The experiments the PI will conduct involves simulated heat stress treatments on closely related plant species from desert and coastal environments both under controlled greenhouse conditions and in the field. After the heat treatments, leaf material will be collected and analyzed for HSP expression. The proposed experiments are necessary for understanding the significance of variation in the HSP response both for the distribution and abundance and the evolutionary diversification of land plants in relation to climate and environmental stress. Understanding the role of HSPs for survival in stressful environments will also be useful when making predictions about vegetation response to global climate change. In addition, results from this research may be useful for genetic engineers trying produce increased thermotolerance in selected crop species.